Understanding Clinical trials > I want to participate

Why should I take part?

People want to take part in health or social care research for many reasons:

• To improve health and social care for others, as well as giving hope for future generations.
• To learn more about their condition.
• To be more closely and regularly monitored.
• To try a new treatment or device.
• To help researchers learn important new information.

To continue reading here. 

Who can take part in Clinical Trials?

CISCRP  created a very informative interactive infographic named "How do you get started on the road to clinical research participation?", Download it here.
All trials have guidelines about who can take part. These are called eligibility criteria. Eligibility criteria are used to ensure that trials include the sort of people who may benefit from the treatment and to make sure that people who take part are not exposed to avoidable risks.  Continue reading here. Also, Findmeacure summarizes the major “Benefits and Risks” of clinical trials.

How do you find, match and screen for a trial?

All clinical trials that are looking for patients are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, but since the website was built for researchers rather than patients, it can be difficult to navigate. Nonprofit organizations and other websites may have tools you can use specifically for your condition. And remember it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor. Share trials you’re interested in with your primary care physician or specialist. They can advise on whether they believe a trial is a good option for you considering your current treatment plan. If you have a few different trials you’re choosing between, your doctor can help you make the final call.
Screening for a clinical trial these days often begins online, over the phone, or a combination of the two. This process is called pre-screening, and it helps save time for researchers and patients by testing initial eligibility for a particular trial. If you appear to be eligible to participate in a trial, the next step would be to visit a nearby research site for additional screening. At the screening visit, you’ll meet with study staff (clinical study coordinators and the principal investigator). Before you sign on, you can ask the study team as many questions as you would like.  Once you are satisfied that you fully understand the trial and are comfortable with what will be expected of you, you’ll be asked to sign an informed consent form to officially join the trial. Even after you sign the form, you can still leave the study at any time. For more information visit the booklet that antidote prepared entitled Mastering the basics of clinical trials: Exploring the key aspects of clinical trials here.