People participate in clinical research for a variety of reasons.
Some people find it intellectually satisfying to be involved in the investigation of innovative approaches that answer questions surrounding the causes and treatments of asthma. The rewards for participating in studies may include contributing to the discovery of new treatments that are safer and more effective than existing standard treatments. People who volunteer for studies may gain access to promising treatments before they are approved for the marketplace, although they cannot continue them after a study is over, generally until the FDA grants approval. Some people volunteer for studies because they do not have access to quality medical care for asthma. During the course of a study participants receive asthma care at the Asthma Clinical Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco.