Considering Joining a Clinical Research Study

Last updated 1,

Are you considering joining a clinical research study or participating in medical research?

If you are considering this type of venture it's probably because you are looking for a gig that will make you some extra money on the side. Another reason to participate in novel medical research is because you have a condition that doesn't have a cure, and participating in cutting edge research might be positively life-changing.

However, if money is your primary motivator, you must also calculate what the risks are versus the benefits.

Let's explore the risks to your physical health and safety: some of the risks include side effects such as when given novel medications or interventions, unknown interactions may occur and side effects may range from mild or severe. Some of the effects could be stuff like nausea or inflammation all the way up to organ damage and long-term illnesses.

Unforeseen complications might also occur that are clearly identified in the disclosures or were not known to the researchers. And some of these risks could be due to the experimental nature of the procedures, treatments or medications. These are inherent to this type of research.

It has been observed that many people who participate in medical research additionally have psychological risks such as stress or anxiety over the studies. Worries and fears can cause stress about the way the studies procedures are implemented and also uncertainty about the study outcomes and fear of short-term and long-term side effects can cause anxiety.

Some patients are also concerned about their confidentiality even when assured by the study moderators, participants might have fears about their personal information being shared or disclosed with other people who are evaluating the study.

Less talked about risk is the risk of social stigmatization. Participation in some sort of studies that relate to emotional or mental health can cause stigma when peers or family find out about your involvement in the study. Also, friends and family may discover information about your sensitive medical conditions which could further lead to social stigma and problems associating with your peers.
Long-Term risks are always considered a problem with these types of novel medical studies, especially in phase 1 or early phase trials. The longer term consequences of a treatment might not be fully understood and drugs may have side effects or interactions that are not realized until it's too late.

With modern medicine and a competent regulatory structure, there are also many benefits to participating in medical research.

Some personal benefits to participating in this type of research include access to new treatments which can allow participants who need a cutting edge treatment that is not yet available to the general public to obtain this type of treatment for a condition that has no other way of being solved.

For many people, visiting the doctor and getting regular checkups is costly and difficult. When a participant is part of a study they will generally receive regular checkups and other types of health assessments during the period of the study and these checkups can benefit the individual by early detection and identification of a range of health issues.

Compensation is the most obvious benefit to participating in a clinical research study. Financial or other forms of compensation for participation, time and inconvenience and risk is expected, but it also is encouraged that the participant is willing to participate in order to further medical research and this can have a positive psychological effect on the individual involved in the trial.

In addition to personal benefits experienced by the individual, there can be benefits that further scientific understanding and improve society as a whole. These benefits can also increase the self-esteem of the participant by knowing that they were a contributing factor to progress.

Studies and participation in clinical trials can advance medical knowledge by allowing the study to contribute to the understanding of illnesses, diseases and medications better or by improving treatment methods for other patients with similar health concerns. Community health can also be affected in a positive way. If a trial is successful, the research could introduce benefits to the broader community and improve community health by leading to new treatments and therapies or identifying preventative measures that will reduce adverse outcomes to future patients. An often overlooked benefit of participating in clinical trials is the feeling of personal satisfaction that the participants get when contributing to medical science, allowing others to be helped in similar situations in the future.

When considering or deciding to participate in clinical medical research, people should not just focus on the risks or just focus solely on the benefits. The benefits and risks must be a way to determine whether a study is right for you. Understanding this balance between risks and benefits is crucial for conducting ethical research and for making informed decisions by participants. Simply knowing the risks and benefits is not enough, you must take into account your personal life situation as well as the information and make a decision for yourself.

Participants must take an individual assessment and evaluate the risks and benefits based on their own personal circumstances, values and health concerns. Informed decision making is part of the process and the concept of assessing the risks and benefits should be part of the informed consent process. Where clinical trial participants are given concise, crystal clear and all-encompassing information.

Risks and benefits may also change as time passes in the study. There should be ways to determine reassessing risk, including the rights of the participants to withdraw from the study if new risks emerge, or if the possible benefits are to be reduced during the study.

There are ethical considerations for all types of medical research and even in the modern era where we have informed consent and they do many tests and collect a lot of data before phase I trials. The study design should aim to maximize benefits to the participant and the greater society while minimizing the potential risks. The study practitioners must ensure that any risk is justified by the expected benefit to the individual and society. The proportional level of risk should be assessed and the importance of information gathered or the benefit to be gained from the clinical study. Always keep an eye on the study leaders and ensure that they are following safety protocols for monitoring and managing risks, including data gathering, data safety monitoring ethics boards for small and larger trials.

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