Benefits and Risks of Participating in a Clinical Trial

Potential Benefits

1. Access to medications that are not FDA approved or behavioral treatments that are not broadly used
   You may have already tried every available medication or psychotherapy for your condition. The medication or behavioral therapy under investigation may be effective in treating the symptoms or condition you have, though there is no guarantee that you will benefit. If you are already on a medication that you like, it is probably not advisable to switch to a new medication. Discuss your decision to participate in a study with your family and your doctor.
   
   
2. Increased Care
   You may receive your regular care in a large clinic or see a health care provider with many patients. As a result, you may not have as much one-on-one time with your healthcare provider as you would like. When you get involved in a clinical trial, you develop a relationship with the research team (the investigator, study coordinators, therapists and nurses running the trial).
   
   You may benefit from having more health professionals involved in your care. The research team can be a great resource for questions about your diagnosis.
   
   
3. Helping Others
   Some people decide to join a clinical trial because they want to help others. Joining a clinical trial contributes to the development of new treatments. As a volunteer in a clinical trial, you can help yourself while helping others.
   
   We have come a long way in our understanding of many illnesses thanks to people who join clinical trials. As we continue to move forward, clinical trials will provide answers to many remaining questions about illness. Without participants in clinical trials, we will never have safer and more effective drugs and treatment strategies nor would we have more effective and widely available behavioral treatments.

Potential Risks

1. Safety and Health Concerns
   In order to participate in a trial, you may have to stop taking some medications or stop the therapy you are currently attending, which might make your symptoms worse. Additionally, the experimental treatment may cause side effects and the experimental treatment may be less effective than the treatment you are currently receiving. It may not help you at all. However, our study staff will be there to monitor your reaction to the new medication/therapy. It is important that any side effects are reported to study staff immediately.
   
   
2. Issues of Trust
   You may be hesitant to join a clinical trial because you are not sure if the researcher or research team can be trusted. See Institutional Review Board for information about guidelines that protect your rights and privacy as a study participant.