A research study or clinical trial is the process a potential new drug, device, procedure, or process goes through to prove that it is safe, tolerable and effective for the condition it is being studied for. Research studies are the only way to advance medicine for future generations.

Each study has their own set of inclusion and exclusion criteria that a participant must meet before they are allowed to participate in a study. Patients from all backgrounds and walks of life are encouraged to participate.

Every participant in every research study must go through the informed consent process. During this, the trial doctor and research team go over what will happen in the study, what treatments you might get, how long the trial is expected to last, what happens during visits, the potential risks and benefits, and many other important facts about the study. Participants may withdraw their consent and discontinue the study at any time for any reason.

A placebo looks like a treatment but does not have any active medicine in it. Researchers use placebos to help make sure any changes in the participants’ health are actually caused by the study treatment. You do not get to choose if you get the study treatment or the placebo, and you may not know if you get the placebo until after the study. Not all research studies use a placebo.

If studies do not include diverse participants, we cannot know if treatments work for everyone who needs them. Studies only tell researchers how something works for the participants of that study, and they may not work the same in people of different races, ethnicities, ages, or sexes.

All research studies must follow federal laws and ethical guidelines, including HIPAA. Studies must also be approved by an expert group called an institutional review board (IRB) that helps make sure the trial is fair and as safe as possible, and that any risks to the participants are worth the potential benefits.