Thinking positively about clinical trials can be easy if you consider them as opportunities for healthy individuals to take calculated risks for the benefit of those who are ill. Just like many aspects of everyday life, participating in these trials does involve some risk. Nonetheless, clinical trials are tightly regulated, and ensuring the safety of volunteers is everyone’s top priority.
Participating in a clinical trial can be a fulfilling act of kindness, much like donating blood or organs.
**Established Science**
A common myth is that clinical trials test completely new and unknown medicines. In reality, a great deal is already understood about the medicines that reach the clinical trial stage. These trials are built on years and sometimes decades of research, making the background information widely accessible.
**Strict Guidelines and Ethical Standards**
When designing clinical trials, strict guidelines and ethical standards are followed. Only healthy volunteers are eligible, which means they must undergo a medical screening beforehand. If you don’t meet the health criteria, you won’t be allowed to participate.
You can only take part in one trial at a time. After completing a trial, there’s a mandatory three-month waiting period and another screening test before you can join a new one.
Usually, trials permit smoking in designated areas, but some trials might ban smoking and other substance use entirely during the trial period.
Trials are designed to test specific groups and demographics. For example, healthy men aged 18-55, post-menopausal women, elderly men, and children with particular health conditions are among the groups that might be selected for participation.
**The Goal of Clinical Trials**
The primary aim of clinical trials is to test drugs before they receive approval for prescription use. These trials occur in the final stages of drug development, after extensive work by experts in various scientific and medical fields.
Volunteers typically receive up to £100 to cover their travel expenses to and from the Clinical Research Unit (CRU).