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About Clinical Studies
The ITHS is partnering with the community to improve health and education about clinical research.
What is clinical research?
Clinical research involves studies to find out if promising new treatments, or new ways of using existing therapies, are safe and effective for people. Before a new treatment is tested in volunteers, the potential efficacy and the safety are carefully studied in the laboratory. While the early laboratory research highlights new methods or treatments that are most likely to succeed, it cannot predict exactly how a new treatment will work in people. Clinical trials provide important information about the benefits and risks of new treatments, and are critical to advances in health care. Some clinical research seeks to understand the causes and consequences of diseases rather than looking at new treatments.
Clinical trials are often categorized as falling into one of four phases. Read more about the phases of a clinical trial.
Who participates?
Participation in any clinical trial is voluntary. Volunteers include adults and children with specific conditions or diseases, as well as healthy people who wish to advance knowledge about the causes, progress, prevention and treatment of diseases. You may be interested in or asked to enter a study. Before you make up your mind, learn as much as you can about the trial.
Read more about what to expect as a research volunteer.
Where can I find studies?
- Find a clinical trial, to help you locate and participate in trials.
- Find maps and transportation to ITHS study centers if you are part of a study at an ITHS study center.
Where can I find more information about clinical trials?
- For Research Participants
- Clinical Trials FAQ from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
- Clinical Trials and Insurance Coverage - A Resource Guide developed by the National Cancer Institute
Contact
We welcome your questions about participating in clinical research. Please contact our Research Subject Advocate.
Last modified: March 13, 2009