Joining a clinical trial

Clinical trials (also called clinical research trials or clinical research studies) can be a fast way to earn extra money. However, before enrolling in a clinical research trial, learn about what clinical trials are and carefully weigh the benefits and the risks of enrolling in a clinical trial. Here are the major factors (benefits and risks) you should take in consideration before becoming a clinical trial volunteer.

Potential benefits of clinical research trials

1.Experimental or treatment/drugs difficult to get

Treatments can be expensive and not affordable for many people

Joining a clinical trial can be beneficial to people suffering for an illness, especially serious illnesses. By participating in a clinical research trial, those people have access to medications or treatments that may otherwise not be available to the public. Also, because of their cost, many drugs or treatments may be out of question for several people, so joining a clinical trial may allow these people to have access to appropriate treatments.

2.Outstanding medical care

By participating in a clinical trial, you will have access to a full medical care

Participating in a clinical research trial also imply the access of to one of the best health care, and for free. When participating in a clinical trial, volunteers or patients undergo several health tests and are followed very closely by an experienced medical staff. For example, participants will usually get their blood tested, their urine tested, have their blood pressure checked on a regular basis and may undergo several other tests to determine the degree of illness or how much improvement there is in regards to the studied illness. Participating in a clinical trial may be an option in the U.S. or other countries where medical care is extremely expensive, therefore inaccessible.

3.Helping.
For many people, participating in clinical reearch trials also imply doing something good. It is through clinical trials that is it possible to develop new medications and treatments. Without those clinical trials and volunteers, new life-saving drugs or treatments or new treatments to improve the life of sick people would never find their way to the market. Hence, for many clinical trial volunteers, their participation is a great opportunity to give back and give other people a chance to live a better life.

4.Reimbursement

Paid clinical trials

Clinical resarch trials usually pay, and sometimes quite well. Participating in a clinical trial can therefore be beneficial if you need more money, because they can help you earn extra income.

Potential risks of clinical research trials

1.Side effects (or adverse events)

Side effects

Although the medical staff will inform every participant of all the possible adverse events (commonly called side effects) that you may experience during the trial. However, it is often difficult to predict what possible side effect a participant will experience, as they may experience none or all of the side effects previous participants have experienced. Moreover, because the treatment or medication is still under study, many side effects may not be known, and the participants may experienced other side effects, sometimes extremely unpleasant, even life-threatening. However, the medical staff and the company sponsoring the clinical research trial always closely monitor every subject and are available 24hrs-7days. In the case of a life-threatening side effect, the subject will be taken off the study, and all participants will be informed.

2.Invasive procedures
Some procedures and test may be extremely unpleasant. Before starting a trial, the clinical staff will inform the participant of all the procedure they will undergo. Therefore, before participating in a trial, you should talk to the clinical research staff and let them know if you have any concerns or worries about the procedures involved in the study.
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3.No results
Most clinical research trials have a placebo arm, which mean the participant may not be on the real treatment or medication. Also, in some cases, the new medication or treatment will be ineffective, and simply not work. In the case of a patient suffering from a serious disease however, a second medication, or treatment is added to the main treatment, to prevent the lack of efficacy of the new treatment or placebo.

Hence, before volunteering in a clinical trial, cautiously weigh those factors and determine whether a participating in clinical research trials is for you.