Should You Join a Clinical Trial? The Pros and Cons Explained

What are clinical trials?

Have you ever wondered what the process for developing a new medication is like? Or how you can make a difference in medical science by participating in a clinical trial? 

Every medication that is sold and prescribed has to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. And in order to be approved by the FDA, the medications must be tried in many patients! 

The process is long and expensive as the researchers need to prove that the new medication, therapy or device is safe and that it will help with the intended health condition. There are many steps in the process of drug development and it takes many years to bring a new medication or therapy to market. 

With the help of clinical trial participants, new advances in healthcare and medicine is helping to improve patient outcomes. 

Pros of Participating in Clinical Research 

Possible Compensation

Even though getting paid to participate in clinical trials should not be you’re only motivation, it can be seen as a benefit. Clinical trials compensate participants for their time and effort involved in the trial. 

Depending on the clinical trial, there may be compensation for study visits when you go into the clinic, phone calls, and even completing diaries. 

The more complex or involved a clinical trial is, the higher the compensation tends to be. 

Access to New Therapies and Treatment

The goal of clinical trials is to develop new medications and treatments for health conditions. If you suffer from a medical condition, you may benefit from trying a new therapy that is not yet available in the market. 

For some participants the available treatments and medications may not be as effective and trying a new medication may help. 

Of course it is always important to check with your doctor or healthcare provider before stopping any prescriptions or starting any new medications. 

Helping to Advance Science 

A great benefit of participating in clinical trials is the ability to help advance clinical science and in turn improve health outcomes.

 You will be helping researchers collect data that can help receive approval for the new medication to get to market. 

Better understanding of your own health 

Clinical trials may involve imaging, bloodwork, physical exams and other diagnostic tests throughout your participation in the study. Usually these are done at no extra cost to you to ensure you are a good fit for the trial and to check for any changes before and free you receive the medication. 

By having this health formation available to you, you will have a better understanding of your own health. 

Cons of Participating in Clinical Trials

Time Commitment 

Depending on the complexity of the trial, clinical trials can have a big commitment. However, as a participant in a clinical trial you are allowed to drop out of the clinical trial at any point in time which is called “withdrawing consent”.

As part of the clinical trial, you may have to visit the clinic multiple times throughout the duration of the trial. These visits may be quick or they may involve longer procedures and testing. 

Possible side effects

Just like taking any medication can come with risks, so can participating in clinical trials. Clinical trials are done to try new medications in the hopes that it will improve patient outcomes. However, medications and treatments can have different effects for different people. 

As part of the clinical trial, the research staff will check on you often to see if there are any changes in your condition and your overall health. 

Clinical trials will usually check your health markers such as blood pressure, bloodwork, imaging and other tests regularly. If anything is abnormal, you and the research staff can make a decision and take the best course of action. The staff will also be available for any questions or concerns and will usually have a phone number you can call at any time. 

Trial completion 

After the trial ends you may no longer have access to the research medication or treatment. Once you have completed the clinical trial, even if the medication has been beneficial to you, you may not be able to continue using it. 

The research staff will guide you on how to discontinue the medication and your care will return to your healthcare provider. Even though clinical trials can go on for years, eventually the trial will be completed and you may have to wait for it to become approved before your doctor can prescribe it to you. 

How to find a clinical trial? 

Finding a clinical trial can be difficult and confusing as there are not many resources available. You may have lots of questions when it comes to how to find the best clinical trial for yourself. 

We recommend using our guide available here, to navigate clinicaltrials.gov where you can search through thousands of enrolling clinical trials. 

We also have our free ebook available when you sign up for our free newsletter! The ebook covers information on participating in clinical trials and our newsletter will keep you informed on everything clinical trials.

We are here to raise awareness for clinical research and help provide resources that can be helpful when you are considering signing up for a clinical trial.

Recap

The process of bringing a new medication or therapy to market can take many years and requires the help of many clinical trial participants. Not only can participating in clinical trials come with benefits but it can also have drawbacks to consider. 

Only you and your doctor can decide if participating in a clinical trial is right for you. By participating in a clinical trial you may be financially compensated for your time and travel to the clinic or research site. You will also have the opportunity to help advance medical science and improve the future of medicine! Clinical trials may also monitor your health by providing routine blood work, physical exams, imaging and other tests. 

However, you also need to consider the time commitment of participating in a clinical trial. You may have to visit the clinical trial site regularly and depending on the trial, these visits can sometimes be complex and time consuming. Just as taking a new medication can come with risks of side effects this may also be true for medications that are in the clinical trial process. And once the trial is complete you may not be able to continue using the medication if it is not yet available to be prescribed. 

You should always consider both the pros and cons of participating in clinical trials before you decide on it. Make sure to talk to your doctor and go to your first visit prepared so that you can have all of your questions answered. 

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