Risks and Benefits of a Clinical Trial

Each clinical trial has both risks and benefits. The informed consent process before the trial will inform you of all the risks and benefits of the trial. And, at any time during the trial, you can talk over any concerns you may have with the research staff. This page explains, in general, both the benefits and risks of most trials.

The Benefits

Participating in a clinical trial can have some benefits for the volunteer whether you are a healthy volunteer or you have a specific condition. Patients are generally compensated for participation in a clinical trial. This compensation is typically not the primary reason that people participate.

When you participate in a trial, you have access to excellent medical care. Typically, the procedures associated with a trial include a physical exam, blood tests, and heart monitoring. The results from these tests are typically shared with the patient. This medical care is free to the volunteer.

If you are a patient with a particular condition, you may participate in a trial to get early access to new treatments for your condition. Typically, trials for specific conditions are run by physician-investigators with advanced or specialized knowledge of the condition. Finally, there can be a psychological benefit to volunteering. By volunteering you are advancing medicine by doing something that may help many others in the future.

The Risks

When you volunteer to participate in a clinical research trial, the risks you may encounter depend on the trial and on you. If you are a healthy person volunteering for a clinical trial, you may have side-effects from the experimental medication. The physician-investigator conducting the trial will explain the possible side effects to you before the trial.

As a volunteer, although you are not required to pay for trial procedures, you will be asked come into the research facility for testing and evaluations by the physician. These visits often require time away from your home or job.

If you are volunteering for a clinical trial because you have a specific condition like asthma, you run the same risks as the healthy volunteer. Additionally, participating in a trial for a specific condition does not guarantee that your condition will improve.