Want to participate in paid clinical trials but are concerned about having to take medication?
One of the most common misconceptions of participating in paid clinical research is that you always have to take medication. Of course, there are many clinical trials that involve taking research medication, but you might be surprised to learn that there are paid trials available where you do not have to try new medications and can still be compensated for your time.
In this article we will cover what clinical trials are and which kind of studies you can participate in without having to take medication.
What are clinical trials?
For starters, any medication, treatment or device that needs to be approved by the FDA has to go through clinical trials. This proves that the medication or treatment works and that it is safe to be used.
By participating in clinical trials, clinical research participants are asked to try the medication or treatment. Almost everyone is familiar with clinical trials for medications, but in this article we will talk more about trials where you don’t have to take experimental medicine.
Once the researchers have enough information about the safety and how effective the treatment, device or medication is, the data can be shown to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for their approval.
When the medication or treatment is approved by the FDA, it can be used by patients who may need it for their diagnosis. The same principle applies to medical devices that may test for a specific condition, a cognitive test for psychiatric research, or a device that can measure a specific reading. If you are interested in participating in clinical trials but have concerns about taking medication, these are just a few examples of trials you can take part in.
Participating in clinical trials helps to advance healthcare and medical science as you indirectly help patients who need new and innovative treatments.
Types of Non-Medication Clinical Trials
A. Behavioral studies
Researchers are always trying to develop non-invasive treatments and therapies to improve health and wellbeing. This type of clinical trials involve research that focuses on understanding behaviors, habits and interventions.
An example of a behavioral study might be if researchers are trying to determine if training on sleep hygiene (importance of sleep, regular sleep schedules, proper sleep environments) can have an effect on the sleep quality of subjects. In this example the clinical research participants would be split between a group that takes the training and participants that do not.
If this proves to be successful, it can be used to help others who may be suffering with sleep disorders.
This is of course just one example and behavioral studies are not limited to sleep studies.
B. Cognitive tests
Cognitive clinical research studies are done by researchers in order to show the effects of different non-invasive interventions. A common example of this type of clinical trial is testing how cognitive training affects memory in older adults. In this example perhaps a new app with brain teasers is tested to see if it can prevent memory issues from developing in older adults.
C. Lifestyle and diet research
Lifestyle and diet research is another type of observational studies that you can participate in without having to take medication. Have you ever wondered, where the information regarding new diets and lifestyle changes comes from? By participating in a diet research study, researchers may track your biometric readings while you stick to the diet in question.
An example of this type of study may involve taking part in the Mediterranean diet and exercising to see if there are positive effects on cardiovascular health. With enough participants, researchers are able to evaluate how effective a diet is.
D. Diagnostic and screening tests
If you are not interested in taking medications but would like to participate in clinical research, you can take part in diagnostic and screening tests. Sometimes enough data needs to be collected for a new diagnostic test to see if it can accurately diagnose patients.
An example may be how accurately a specific type of CT scan can be used for early detection of cancer. Or perhaps a new gene or blood marker has been identified as a possible predictor of a chronic illness. By collecting enough samples it can help scientists, doctors and researchers to develop tools for early prevention!
There are many diagnostic tools and screening tests that would not be around today if it wasn’t for clinical trials.
E. Device testing (non-invasive)
Device testing is a great way to help advance science without having to take medications in clinical trials! An example of one of these devices may be on your wrist right now! Did you know that heart trackers in popular smartwatches have to undergo clinical trials to prove that they are accurate and effective in measuring different heart rhythms.
Clinical trials can recruit healthy individuals as well as patients who suffer from cardiac disorders to trial a smart device such as a watch that can pick up on heart abnormalities. Other devices you may be familiar with are blood pressure monitors or even at-home ekg tests.
Benefits of Participating
Financial compensation
One of the benefits of participating in clinical research is that you may be paid for your participation. There are clinical trials that do not involve taking medication and will pay you for your participation.
The compensation depends on many factors and can vary study to study but if you are considering participating in clinical trials, this can be an extra perk.
Contributing to scientific knowledge
By participating in clinical research whether it is a medication study or an observational trial, you will contribute to the advancement of science. Your participation can benefit science by providing valuable insights and understanding that can lead to new discoveries.
Helping improve healthcare
Clinical research participants contribute to improving healthcare by helping researchers develop new ways to treat illness and diseases. You can help patients who need new therapies or diagnostic tools to catch and prevent health issues ahead of time.
Gaining insight into personal health
By participating in clinical trials you can gain a deeper understanding of your personal health. You will be monitored during your participation which may involve lab work, physical exams and other assessments by medical professionals.
Finding the Right Trial for You
If you are ready to take the leap into clinical trials, your next step is finding the right trial for you!
Theclinresearcher.com
At theclinresearcher we have a growing resource of everything clinical research. Not only will you learn more about participating in trials but by signing up for our newsletter you will be kept up to date with the newest research developments.
Participating in clinical trials can be confusing and daunting, let us help you by arming you with the information you need to make an informed decision.
Clinicaltrials.gov
Visit clinicaltrials.gov where you can filter by the specific criteria you are interested in. This official website has thousands of trials that may be right for you.
What to do Next?
We hope that you have learned about different clinical trials that you can participate in without having to take medications. If you are interested in participating in clinical trials but unsure of where to start, we highly suggest you get a copy of our free guide to clinical trials! This will get you signed up for our newsletter where we cover everything related to clinical trials.