Participating in clinical research can be very rewarding!
You are essentially volunteering as a participant to advance treatments, medications and therapies that will benefit many!
Of course there are benefits to participating such as cost free medical treatment and compensation for your time and participation.
Plus if you are generally curious as to how clinical trials work and all of the work involved, a great way to learn all about this is to participate.
However there are lots of things you should consider before signing up for a clinical research trial! Even though once you sign up to participate you can always change your mind and opt to stop your participation, it is a great idea to do your research beforehand.
Learn the basics of clinical research trials by checking out this article!
You have to realize that participating in clinical research can come with time commitments that you might not be able to fit into your day to day schedule. Just like with any FDA approved medication, non approved medications can come with side effects that are unknown. You also have to consider your long term goals as some trials can limit your lifestyle choices. It is also recommended that you speak with your healthcare provider to make sure you are reasonably healthy to participate.
Some of the questions you may be asking yourself at this stage is whether clinical research trials are safe? Or what are the benefits of participating in clinical research trials? You might be looking for these answers on google or reddit and coming up empty handed! It can be frustrating when you can’t find the information you need before you make such a big decision.
This blog is meant as a guide to help you navigate clinical research. But of course there will be more personal considerations depending on your lifestyle and values!
Congrats on deciding to read this article! You are way ahead of the game by wanting to learn more about the awesome world of clinical research before signing up! After you are done reading this article you will have lots of information on what to consider and think about before signing up for your first clinical research trial!
Your Healthcare Provider’s Opinion
Your healthcare provider is your best bet at making sure participating in clinical research is a good option for you. Your doctor knows your medical history best and will be able to give you their opinion on whether participating in a clinical trial is right for you.
There are times in which participating in a trial is not recommended. One example of this is if your current medication is working well enough. By stopping your current medication and trialing a new one that has not yet been approved, this can lead to other issues arising.
However, if you are healthy enough to participate and it might be beneficial to your health, your physician will give you their approval. This will give you higher peace of mind, since you know your provider is backing you up with your decision.
Your Future Goals and Lifestyle
There are different restrictions that can come with your participation in clinical research. For example, you might need to be aware of reproductive restrictions. Meaning you might be asked to not have any children within the next few years to prevent risk to your offspring. Other ways it can affect your future is if this restricts anything else within your lifestyle such as not being able to take certain supplements or medications.
Certain studies will monitor your labs and restrict your exercise or supplementation with supplements that might interfere with the study medication. For example, working out can release lactic acid which might interfere with your labs causing a false result as it might be attributed to the medication.
Are Clinical Research Trials Safe?
This is a very common, and of course a very important question! I wish there was an easy way to answer. However, just like taking any FDA approved medication or therapy, it can come with risks. Once you find a clinical trial that you would like to participate in, the clinical research staff will be able to guide you through these concerns. Of course, it is ideal to come in with a sense for what to expect and with your healthcare provider’s opinion.
Once at the clinical research site, you will be asked to read through the consent and ask as many questions as you’d like. The clinical research physician will thoroughly answer all of your questions to the best of their ability.
It is important to note that the staff including the physician at the research center might have limited information depending on the stage of research the trial is in. If the research trials first in humans, the only safety data might be coming from animal studies. If it has gone through phase one or higher they will have data from human trials that they can provide you with.
With that being said, even after medications are approved they can still have side effects. This will be a personal decision to make based on sometimes limited information. Any time you take a medication you are risking that it might affect you differently than the effects it might have on others.
With this being said, you should ask the staff as much information as you deem necessary.
Some of the safety questions might include:
- The number of participants in previous phases of the study?
- What kind of medical assistance is offered from the site?
- Most clinical research sites will offer 24/7 medical assistance in case of emergencies.
- Contact information for medical emergencies?
- Any medical or safety concerns after reading the consent forms
Once you have read the consent carefully, have asked all of the questions you can think of, you should feel that you can make a more confident decision. You can always go home and think it over or talk it over with friends and family before making your decision.
Time commitment
Depending on your job, family and other time commitments you may already have, participating in clinical research might not fit into your schedule.
You will be expected to go into the clinical research site multiple times throughout your participation. These visits will vary in frequency and length depending on the clinical trial you decide to participate in. Some clinical trials require you to spend hours on site doing different procedures and assessments. Other visits might be shorter and just require a blood draw and some visits can be completed from home over the phone.
If you have a 9-5 it might be difficult fitting the clinical trial visits into your schedule. Typically clinical research sites are only open during business hours which might conflict with your work schedule.
Clinical research trials can also last years! Meaning that you will be expected to report to the clinical research site for a long time. Some studies are weeks long, others can go up to five or more years in total. You should consider what your future goals are and whether you would like to participate for that length of time.
Once you have considered if participating in clinical research is worth it to you and if you think it can fit into your schedule you should be ready to move forward with your decision.
It is important to realize that volunteering to participate is always voluntary and you can opt out of the study at any point in time. Of course, make sure to do your research, ask your provider for advice and consult with your family prior to participating!
I hope this article has provided you with valuable information to consider before joining a clinical research trial. If you have participated in clinical research before, feel free to drop a line before with your insights!