Participating in Clinical Research
Interested in joining a clinical research trial?
Hope for the future is born every day in the form of new, promising treatments
By participating in clinical research you won’t just be receiving cutting edge therapies before they’re released to the public – you’ll be furthering research to help future patients suffering from the same disorders you have today.
If you qualify for one of our studies, study related care and medications will be provided at no cost and you will be compensated for your time and travel.
FAQs
Invisible
What is a clinical research study?
- A research study involving human volunteers is conducted to answer specific health questions.
- Carefully conducted clinical research studies are the safest and fastest way to find treatments that work in people and new ways to improve health.
- Research studies are conducted according to a plan called a protocol.
- A protocol describes what types of patients may enter the study; schedules of tests and procedures, drugs, dosages, and length of study, as well as outcomes that will be measured.
- Each person participating in the study must agree to follow the protocol.
Why are research studies conducted?
- To see if a new drug or device is safe and effective for people to use.
- To compare existing treatments to determine which is better.
- To study different ways to use standard (approved) treatments, so they will be more effective, easier to use, and/or decrease side effects.
- To learn how to best use the treatment in a different population, such as children, in whom the treatment was not previously tested.
How are participants protected?
- To protect the rights and welfare of clinical research participants, U.S. Federal Agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) & the National Institutes of Health (NIH) oversee much of the medical research in the U.S.
- Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) oversee the centers where clinical research studies are conducted.
- IRBs review and approve study protocols to ensure that a clinical trial is ethical and that volunteers’ rights are protected.
- A participant in a clinical trial has access to the IRB that is overseeing the research and access to a volunteer advocate, the physician and staff conducting the trial.
- Federal agencies inspect individuals and institutions conducting research. They also inspect IRBs.
- Some IRBs are accredited much like hospitals can be “accredited” and some research investigators and staff are “certified” as research professionals.
What are some of the possible benefits of my participation?
- Gain access to potentially new research treatments.
- Receive expert medical care for the condition being studied, since investigators are often specialists in the disease area being studied.
- Help others by contributing to medical research and treatment advances.
- Receive financial reimbursement for time and travel.
What are some of the possible risks of my participation?
- There may be unpleasant, serious, or even life-threatening side effects resulting from the treatment.
- The treatment may not be effective.
- Participation in the trial may be demanding and time consuming.
Testimonials
“Medical research has been a huge blessing in my life. I have been a chronic asthmatic for over 20 years. I had become debilitated and depressed. I was steroid dependent and still barely able to function. After going through many different pulmonary doctors and no one could come up with any solutions for my condition, I reached out to Alabama Allergy & Asthma Center. I was placed with Dr. Meghan Lemke and magic began to happen. Dr. Lemke put me in contact with Beth Hagerty at CRCA to participate in a research study for a drug called Nucala. Beth Hagerty is amazing! Everything was easy; contact, forms, appointments, everything! I began taking my injections and I started to feel better, my lung functions started to rise and I started to feel like a person again! I completed the study and I continue to take my injections each month without fail. I am still in contact with Beth Hagerty and I would definitely participate in medical research again! CRCA has given me the ability to live again.”
Lorie B.“The results I have obtained with CRCA has been a life changing experience. My quality of life is so much improved. I had been chronically ill for more than fifty years with severe atopic dermatitis. It affected every part of my life. I am rarely ill since using Dupixent. The quality of care I received at CRCA was superb and very professional. I have been truly blessed with the outcome of the clinical trial and the caring CRCA staff.”
Rhonda B.“Clinical Research Center of Alabama was beneficial to me because it is a family. Their labels say that they are nurses and they’re clinicians and other labels like that, but they are more than that, because they are there every step of the way…you’re right there with them on the cutting edge of everything that is new. The Clinical Research Center of Alabama was definitely essential to my success. They are my partners in changing my life.”
Cheryl F.