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Clinical research helps us find answers to tough scientific questions so we can understand and treat illnesses, diseases or health problems better.

Clinical research is also called:

  • Clinical studies
  • Research studies
  • Research
  • Studies
  • Clinical trials
  • Trials

Research is how scientists find information to answer important questions that can help people. In a research study, a doctor or scientist might ask you to take a medicine or do a task. They will collect information from you before, during, or after you do the task or take the medicine. This information helps them find answers to tough scientific questions. Research studies can be small and local and involve only a few people, or large and include people from around the world.

People join research studies for many reasons. Research helps scientists find new treatments or cures for diseases and health problems. This information can help you decide if joining a study is right for you.

If you have an illness or health problem:
  • You might get the newest treatment or medicine.
  • You could get extra care and attention from the research team.
  • You may learn more about your disease or health problem.
  • You might get compensated for your participation.
If you are healthy:
  • You can help researchers learn more about how the body works.
  • You might help scientists find ways to prevent sickness.
  • You could help people with illnesses, diseases, or health problems.
  • You might get compensated for your participation.

Research impacts our everyday lives - from the medicine we use to our family’s health. Joining a research study is a gift that helps your family, your community, and people everywhere.

Before you join a research study, you should learn as much about the study as you can.

Make sure you know:

  • What happens during the study
  • Any costs involved
  • The risks and benefits of joining

Don't be afraid to ask the research team for more information and share your concerns. It's their job to give you the information you need to decide if you want to join a clinical research study.

Here are some questions you might want to ask the research team:

  • What is the main purpose of the study?
  • How long will the study last?
  • What will I need to do as a participant?
  • Can I see my doctor during the study?
  • What happens after the study ends?
  • Do I have to pay for any part of the study?
  • Will I be compensated for my participation?
  • Will my insurance be billed?

Questions to ask when deciding whether to volunteer for research:

A clinical research study is different from regular medical care.  Medical care is when your doctor treats your illness or health problem as best as they can. Research tries to answer a scientific question we don’t know the answer to yet.

As a research participant, you might not get the same medical care or known treatments you would at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. Many research studies test new treatments to see if they are better or safe to use.

Talk to your doctor about the study to see if it is a good option for you.

More information:

After a study is done, researchers look closely at the information they collected to understand what it means. Once they know how the drug, treatment, or therapy affects the disease or health problem, they write up the results for publication and share what they found with the public!

Researchers can share the results of their study in three ways:

  1. Peer-reviewed scientific journals: Peer review is when experts review the report before it is published to make sure that the information is correct. These reports usually use complex language and are meant for a scientific audience.
  2. Mainstream media outlets: Researchers often share their study results through the news, social media, or on podcasts. Researchers might be interviewed if their study found a new treatment or therapy.
  3. Scientific meetings or patient advocacy groups: Study results can also be shared at scientific meetings and with patient advocacy groups before or after they are published in a scientific journal.

When a new medicine, treatment, or therapy is proven safe and effective in a clinical trial, it might become a new standard in medical practice. It’s important to ask the research team if the study results have been or will be published.

Published study results are also available by searching for the study's official name or Protocol ID number in the National Library of Medicine's PubMed® database.

The research team works hard to protect your information. The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and its affiliated health systems have rules to keep your information safe. Federal and state laws including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) also protect your privacy.

Research can’t happen without your permission to see, use, and share your information. You don’t have to give the research team this permission, but then you can’t join the study. The informed consent document for the study that you join will explain who will see your information, what will be collected, and how the information will be shared with other people and organizations.

Research teams do their best to keep your personal information private, but they can’t guarantee it. There is no time limit on using and sharing your information. You can cancel your permission to use and share your information anytime by contacting the research team.

OHRP has created a series of short videos with information about how research works, what questions you should consider asking, and things to think about when deciding whether to participate in a study.