Why do people participate in clinical trials?

People participate in clinical trials for many reasons. Participants generally fall into two categories: Healthy volunteers and Patient volunteers.

Healthy volunteers, or people without known health issues, participate in clinical trials to test a new drug, device, or procedure for the benefit of others. These participants get the satisfaction of helping researchers move science forward and improve our understanding of how best to treat diseases. Participants are almost always paid for participating too. For example, clinical trials of vaccines -- including the trials for Covid-19 vaccines -- involve healthy volunteers.

Patient volunteers, or people with known health issues, participate in clinical trials to better understand, diagnose, treat, or cure those diseases or conditions. These participants take part to help others, but also to potentially access the latest experimental treatments and to benefit from additional care provided by clinical trial team members.

why should I join a clinical trial
Why Should I Join a Clinical Trial?
ALZ Trial volunteer
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What is a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that looks at ways of preventing, detecting, and treating disease. The primary goal is to find out whether a new drug, medical device, diagnostic test, or surgical procedure is both safe and…
I understand that not everyone is chosen to participate in a clinical trial. How do I determine if I am eligible?
All clinical trials have specific guidelines about who can participate. After you agree to join a trial, you will be screened by clinical staff to ensure you are eligible...
What is a Clinical Trial?
There are government, faith-based and community advocacy organizations that provide detailed information about clinical trials and why diversity matters...