FOR PATIENTS

Clinical Trials offer hope for many patients and an opportunity to help researchers find better treatments for others in the future. Patients receive the newest treatments and have additional care and attention from doctors and the hospital staff. Healthy volunteers participate in clinical trials to help others and to contribute to moving science forward.

Clinical Trials provide patients, access to novel and expensive pharmaceutical products, the possibility to undertake free diagnostic tests, free of charge clinical examinations, hospital visits and intensive follow-up.

Individual patients’ and patient communities, even though suspicious of Clinical Trials in the past, are now fully aware of the benefits and objectives of clinical research and more than willing to participate in Clinical Trials that will help to prevent, diagnose or treat diseases. Clinical Trials provide further therapeutic options to a disease condition, improve the quality of life and life expectancy ratio.

HOW TO FIND A CLINICAL TRIAL

When searching for a Clinical Trial, patients should always look in more than one place and ask for several opinions. Patients must ask their doctors. In many hospitals there are posters and flyers informing about a Clinical Trial. Many pharmaceutical companies have information about Clinical Trials they are sponsoring. There are also many websites that are helping you to find Clinical Trials such as https://clinicaltrials.gov

Once you find a study that you might want to join, contact the Clinical Trial or study coordinator. You can usually find this contact information in the description of the study. The first step is a screening appointment to see if you qualify to participate. This appointment also gives you a chance to ask your questions about the study.

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HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS IN A CLINICAL TRIAL:

Clinical Trial staff explain the Clinical Trial in detail and gather more information about the patient

Once the patient has had all his questions answered and agree to participate, the patient signs an informed consent form

Each patient is screened to make sure he qualifies for the clinical trial

If accepted into the clinical trial, the patient is scheduled for a first visit (called the “baseline” visit). The Doctors conduct cognitive and/or physical tests during this visit

Patients are randomly assigned to a treatment or control group

Patients and their family members follow the Clinical Trial procedures and report any issues or concerns to Doctors

Patients may visit their Doctors at regularly scheduled times for new cognitive, physical, or other evaluations and discussions. At these visits, the Clinical Trial Team collects information about effects of the intervention and your safety and well-being

Before deciding to participate in a Clinical Trial, patients must intensively ask, discuss and understand all about the Clinical Trial they are about to enter. Some of the questions to be addressed to their Doctors are the following:

  • What treatment or tests will they have?
  • What are the chances they will have to get the experimental treatment?
  • What are the possible risks, side effects, and benefits of the study treatment compared to their current treatment?
  • How will they know if the treatment is working?
  • What happens if their health problem gets worse during the clinical trial?
  • How will the clinical trial affect their everyday life?
  • How long will the clinical trial last?
  • Where will the clinical trial take place?
  • Will participating in the clinical trial cost anything? If so, how will they be reimbursed?
  • Can the patient take his regular medicines while in the clinical trial?
  • Will there be a follow up on patient’s health after the end of the clinical trial?
  • If a patient withdraws, will this affect his normal care?
  • What steps ensure patient’s privacy?