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Why participate in Clinical Trials?

The history of humans participating in clinical trials has made a major impact on seeking medical advancements on various diseases or health status. By participating in clinical trials as a research subject, you are given the opportunity to play a major and active role with seeking medical advancements, learning more about your personal health and healthcare needs, and accessing knowledge of new medical therapeutic treatments. You gain the ability to share with others your experience of participating and becoming an "advocate" on clinical trials to expel the myth from the past and the hope for the future. Some people have even shared with us that it allowed them to search their family medical tree and find out which diseases were more prevalent in their family.

MSM Clinical Trials

The Clinical Research Center of Morehouse School of Medicine conducts clinical trials, which are research studies designed to answer specific questions about new therapies or new ways of using established treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Most current drug therapies are initially developed in clinical trials.

Participants include men, women, and children of all ages, races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds, depending on the study guidelines. Protection of the rights, safety and welfare of our research participants is always our primary concern. Research staff regularly monitors the health of clinical trial participants to determine the safety and effectiveness of their treatment. Each clinical trial is approved by the Institutional Review Board consisting of healthcare professionals as well as lay people from the community to ensure that risks are monitored and federal regulations are followed. We also have a Research Subject Advocate that can answer any of your questions and listen to any concerns that you might have.

What you should know when considering to volunteer for a clinical trial:

You should know as much as possible about the clinical trial and feel comfortable asking questions about it, the care expected while in a trial, and the benefit and potential risks of the trial. The following questions might be helpful to discuss with the clinical trial team. Some of the answers to these questions are found in the informed consent document.

• What is the purpose of the study?
• How do the possible risks, side effects, and benefits in the study compare with my current treatment?
• How might this trial affect my daily life?
• How long will the trial last?
• Will hospitalization be required?
• Who will pay for the treatment?
• Will I be reimbursed for other expenses?
• Will results of the trials be provided to me?
• Who will be in charge of my care?
• What type of test are involved?
• Can my exam results be shared with my personal physician?

It is very important that you continue to work with your primary health care provider. Most clinical trials provide short-term treatments related to a designated illness or condition, but do not provide extended or complete primary health care.

You can leave a clinical trial at any time. When withdrawing from the trial, you should let the research team know about it, and the reasons for leaving the study.