If you’ve heard about clinical trials but not sure who is eligible to participate in one, here is some information that might help. The trials may involve medications or devices but can also involve changes in one’s diet or new procedures. Experiments that involve testing new drugs have different stages referred to as phases.
Who can participate?
Each clinical study will have certain criteria called eligibility criteria for those who are required to participate in the trial. Some experiments actively looking for people with specific conditions or diseases, while others are looking for a healthy adult. Some research will aim to find a very specific group of people to enrol in the trial. Find out about TQT Studies at a site like Richmond Pharmacology, a provider of TQT Studies
The criteria that determines whether a person can take part or not is called the inclusion criteria. The factors that mean a person might not be eligible are known as exclusion criterion. These factors may include things like age, gender, condition or disease stage, an existing medical condition and medical history.
Participants are fully informed about what the trial will involve in a process known as informed consent. People are provided with as much information as possible which allows participants to decide whether they want to continue. It aims to protect individuals, so that they understand the risks involved and of course, the potential benefits.
Other recruitment activities include question sessions, printed material, oral instructions and interviews to measure the understanding of the participants to be able to supply informed consent. Although the participants sign their agreement, nothing is binding, and participants can withdraw from the trial at any time.