What Can I Expect During a Clinical Trial?
Application Process
The application process usually starts with filling out a questionnaire and providing consent for the trial clinic to access your medical records to verify your eligibility. From there, assuming you're eligible, the clinical recruiting coordinator will get in touch with you to discuss next steps.
The screening process normally takes 2-4 weeks, with 1-2 in-person visits of 1-3 hours each (exact appointment numbers and durations vary). However, some clinics allow patients to complete screening remotely, via phone.
During screening, you'll complete lab tests, discuss more of your medical history, and discuss with the clinic whether the trial commitment is a choice that makes sense for you.
Treatment Period
If you pass screening, you'll receive the opportunity to enroll! At this point, you'll typically be placed randomly into a participant group: a group of patients set to receive a particular dose or version of the study treatment. For most trials, you'll receive the treatment for several months.
- Placebo trials: Most clinical trials use a placebo, a treatment that looks just like the real drug but doesn't contain any active ingredients. It's used in some clinical trials to help researchers see whether the actual drug works better than doing nothing at all.
- Open Label trials: Some trials are "open label", meaning that all participants receive the active drug. These are sometimes called "No Placebo" trials.
Some trials that have a Placebo group during the treatment period offer an Open Label Extension option: a longer period of time, after treatment results are measured, during which all participants can optionally receive the active ingredient. This allows participants to access the potentially beneficial research drug, and researchers to continue to collect long-term data.
Trial Compensation
Many trials offer compensation for time and travel. Most Phase 1 trials compensate patients substantially per visit ($200-$1000), given the relative risks involved with Phase 1 treatment. Phase 2-4 often pay $50-$150 per visit, though exact amounts vary, and you'll need to confirm with the clinic.
View Highest-Paid TrialsFollow-Up Period
Most trials have a follow-up period commensurate with the treatment period. During this time, researchers continue to collect data on participants to ensure that they're okay.