Clinical Trial Basics FAQ
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What you need to know about clinical trials, before you start considering one.
Will I get paid for taking part in a clinical trial?
Normally, it is only volunteers hospitalised for phase I trials that are offered payment. This is because they are usually healthy people, confined to a clinic non-stop for days to weeks and can‟t expect any medical benefit from the treatment being researched. Payment is not usually considered ethical for other types of trials, as it might induce people to take
Clinical trials vs Treatment – Therapeutic Misconception
Trials are conducted to find out if a new medicine or new use of an approved medicine is safe. You should therefore not take part in a clinical trial thinking the treatment you get will „treat you‟ – it is still only being research to see if it will treat you. Sometimes you will do better, and sometimes you will
What is Informed Consent? What is the process and how should I prepare?
What does “Consent” mean? The very first step for someone considering taking part in a study is the discussion they will have with the researcher to introduce and explain the trial. This discussion is a process called “Informed Consent’. The use of the word “consent‟ to describe the process does not mean that you have to agree to the trial.
How do I put the risks of a trial in context?
Everyone has different ideas of what are acceptable risks. Some people choose to sky-dive, race fast cars or bungee jump, whereas others would feel too uncomfortable with the risks to ever try them. In that sense, assessing the risk of taking part in a clinical trial will also be an individual decision, because different types of trials have different levels
How do I confirm for myself that I understand a trial before I decide yes or no?
After you have read the information sheet and discussed the trial with the researchers, you should ask yourself these questions to make sure you understand what the trial is about and what you will need to do if you take part: why the study is being done ? why am I suitable or being asked to take part? who is
What happens when I agree to take part in a trial?
If you agree to take part in the trial, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This form documents who had the discussion with you about the trial, when and that you agree to take part, knowing you can withdraw at any time. You should be given a copy of the information sheet and consent form with copies
I’ve been asked to consent for my child or someone else I care for. Is this OK?
Not everyone who is suitable to take part in a study are able to consent for themselves. Reasons for this might include they are too young, they have a mental health condition or they might be incapacitated in some way, for example, unconscious when a decision needs to be made. The rules surrounding the ability of children to consent for
What information is collected about me in a trial, and how? Is it kept private?
What information is collected about me? The nature of clinical trials makes it necessary for data to be collected about and from you. Every clinical trial will be different in the information it collect, and quite often, it is quite private information that will be collected. Ask the research team before you take part! It is important that
Clinical trials vs Treatment – Therapeutic Misconception
Trials are conducted to find out if a new medicine or new use of an approved medicine is safe. You should therefore not take part in a clinical trial thinking the treatment you get will „treat you‟ – it is still only being research to see if it will treat you. Sometimes you will do better, and sometimes you will
Who pays for (sponsors) clinical trials?
Clinical trials may be funded by a range of organisations, including: private and/or commercial enterprises (for example biotechnology, device or pharmaceutical companies); not-for-profit organisations (for example the Cancer Council); philanthropists (like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation); government agencies and research councils who are interested in better or more cost effective treatments or ways to prevent, screen, or diagnose health