Clinical trials are conducted to collect data regarding the safety and efficacy of new drug and device development. There are several steps and stages of approval in the clinical trials process before a drug or device can be sold in the consumer market, if ever.

Once approved, human testing of experimental drugs and devices can begin and is typically conducted in four phases. Each phase is considered a separate trial and, after completion of a phase, investigators are required to submit their data for approval from the FDA before continuing to the next phase.

In a clinical trial, a volunteer is usually assigned a specific study group. Volunteers in one study group may receive an investigational treatment or study drug while other volunteers may receive a placebo or a treatment already available. 

A placebo is an inactive product used to assess the experimental treatment’s effectiveness. The participant, physician, and research staff may not know which volunteer receives a placebo and which receives the active treatment. Not knowing which participants are receiving the active treatment allows the physician and research staff to objectively observe the volunteers during the study. Regardless of which treatment volunteers receive, however, the level of medical attention and care that each receives is the same.

• No cost for your your care and medication
• Compensation for your time and travel
• Contribute to advance science and medicine

Patients considering participating in a clinical trial should talk about it with their physicians and medical caregivers. Potential volunteers should also understand the credentials and experience of the staff and the facility involved in conducting the study.

Questions to ask a physician or medical caregiver:

• How long will the trial last?
• Where is the trial being conducted?
• What treatments will be used and how?
• What is the main purpose of the trial?
• How will patient safety be monitored?
• Are there any risks involved?
• What are the possible benefits?
• What are the alternative treatments besides the one being tested in the trial?
• Who is sponsoring the trial?
• Do I have to pay for any part of the trial?
• What happens if I am harmed by the trial?
• Can I opt to remain on this treatment, even after termination of the trial?