Clinical trials are highly organized and carefully designed. Study researchers develop unique criteria for participation, to ensure the new medication or treatment is being tested on the people it is meant to help. Your age and gender, medical history and preexisting conditions are all considered, among other factors. These studies are also rigorously controlled to ensure the highest levels of participant safety and well-being. Before joining a study, you will be asked to sign an Informed Consent Form (ICF), which provides a full explanation of the study.

Most participants in clinical trials are volunteers who are randomly divided into groups of two or more. One group may receive an inactive drug, or placebo, with the other groups receiving the investigational drug. Clinical trials, also known as clinical studies or research studies are conducted by doctors and researchers to prove that new medications or treatments are safe and effective before being approved for use by the public.

There are benefits to participating, like:

• Active participation in your own health and healthcare
• Access to new investigational drugs and treatments
• Access to healthcare providers who specialize in the condition being studied
• And the knowledge that you may be helping others with the condition, as well as yourself