There are many good reasons to take part in a clinical trial. In clinical trials, doctors discover new ways of curing or relieving symptoms of diseases. Many people choose to take part in a trial because the new treatment may help themselves or others.
In some clinical trials, a new treatment is found to be safer and more effective than other treatments available to your doctor. In this case, clinical trial participants are the first to benefit from it. However, there can be risks from new medical treatments, like side effects. Sometimes, however, a medication or treatment is less effective or even harmful. If the new treatment proves to be harmful or less effective before the trial is completed, your doctor will often decide to take you out of the clinical trial and do whatever is best for you. It is important that you know the benefits and risks of a new treatment before volunteering to participate in a clinical trial.
Informed consent is used for this purpose. This form describes the clinical trial and lists the benefits and risks of each treatment. Before any treatment is given, you must be told about these benefits and risks. You cannot be entered into a clinical trial until you sign the informed consent document
