Why Our Volunteers Love Clinical Trials

Why do volunteers want to participate in clinical trials?  They are often motivated by a combination of several reasons. Here are 6 of the top reasons to participate.

The potential of finding relief from their symptoms

We can’t promise relief from symptoms due to the placebo and efficacy of the medication being tested.  However, the Hawthorne Effect proves that patients who participate in a research trial have better outcomes than those not participating.

To learn more about their condition

You might argue that to learn about a condition you can just look it up on the web, and we all do that.  However, often these websites can be misleading or provide the worst-case scenario results, which don’t apply to most of us. Another option is to ask your primary physician, and that is a good thing to do.  Unfortunately, physicians are often rushed or running behind and questions are forgotten.  Participating in a clinical trial provides you ample one on one time with a research professional and physician so that all your questions can be answered.

Access to new cutting-edge treatments

When participating in a clinical trial, there is access to new cutting-edge treatments that are not available yet to the public. There can even be access to medications that have been newly FDA-approved but are much too expensive to afford.  Study-required medications are most often provided at no cost!

Receiving medical care at no cost

Sponsors such as pharmaceutical companies, governments, and foundations fund medical research through study grants. The grants fund local research sites for conducting the study so you don't pay a thing.  In fact, we don’t even ask you for your insurance information!  Can you believe most studies compensate patients for time and travel?

Making a difference

Clinical Trials help shape the future of medicine and healthcare.   Volunteer participation helps researchers discover more about health conditions and find better ways to treat them!

Moral and emotional support

Having medical conditions that others don’t necessarily understand can make some people feel alienated.  When involved in research, support staff understand the patient’s condition and what they may be experiencing and can provide moral and emotional support.