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Though there are currently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medications and effective behavioral therapies for certain mental health and substance use diagnoses, clinical trials are still extremely important. Researchers are working on providing patients with additional treatment options as well as developing medications with fewer side effects and easier treatment regimens. All of these experimental treatments must be tested for safety and effectiveness through either medication or behavioral therapy clinical trials. Without participants in these trials, progress in understanding and treating mental health and addictive disorders is impossible.
Historically, study participants have been primarily white males. Women, people of various ethnicities and races, as well as other populations have been under-represented in clinical research. In order to better advance treatment, all populations must be represented in clinical trials. In addition to medication and behavioral trials, our group conducts other types of research. Some treatment studies involve procedures rather than medications or behavioral therapies. We also conduct non-treatment studies such as observational studies, survey studies, and studies that employ a variety of techniques to further our understanding of certain diagnoses.
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