Patients who volunteer to take part in a clinical trial are screened to make sure they meet the necessary criteria. Safety of patients is a primary concern in these tests. Those who are accepted will visit the principal investigating physician, who explains the trial to the patient and who is responsible for the entire conduct of the study. Once a patient is enrolled, a study coordinator takes a medical history and a physician gives the patient a general physical. After these initial steps, the individual study protocol will determine the number of visits the patient will make to the phys ician.
Protocols vary widely.
Benefits of participating In addition to receiving free medical care related to the study, most patients in clinical trials are followed more closely than patients who receive routine medical care because more lab testing and more frequent health-care visits are part of a clinical trial's protocol. Monetary compensation may be provided in some trials to cover inconvenience to patients who must spend large amounts of time in the trial. Check the calendar.