Who participates in clinical trials?

People with the condition being studied as well as healthy people can volunteer to participate in a clinical trial. The FDA has very strict requirements that specify which studies involve healthy volunteers and which studies involve patients with condition being studied. Each study has specific requirements such as age, gender, or medical/psychiatric condition for participants. Initially, a research assistant will ask you basic information about your current condition and medications during a brief interview by phone or in person that will allow them to find out if you are a good candidate to participate in a clinical trial. If you qualify based on the phone screen, you will be scheduled for an appointment to speak to the doctor or nurse practitioner. During the clinical appointment the study will be discussed with you in detail and you will be given the opportunity to decide if you want to participate in the study.

In a clinical trial, what should I expect?

When you arrive at Fieve Clinical Services, you will meet with the doctor and/or the nurse practitioner who are part of the research team conducting the trial. Before any person can participate in a clinical trial, they must first consent to participate by signing an Informed Consent Form. The research team is trained in medical and mental health research. They will explain everything about the trial, what to expect, and answer any questions or concerns you might have. When you make the appointment, they will tell you what to expect in the first visit.