Questions to Ask When Considering a Clinical Trial
- What is the purpose of the trial?
- Which type of research phase (I, II, III or IV) is the study?
- What are the goals and objectives of the study–that is, why is the study being conducted?
- Who is likely to benefit from the knowledge of the results? Also, how will the results be distributed or shared with participants and the public?
- Who is sponsoring the trial?
- To evaluate any conflicts of interests and who pays the study staff?
- To determine possible benefits of the trial–for example, access to free medication?
- What will be required of you?
- Time burden, that is, duration of trial and frequency of visits.
- Location, for consideration of transportation of site for trial.
- Inpatient or outpatient treatment.
- Personal costs to you.
- Expectations (protocol)–for example, keep logs, collect specimens, schedule of medication).
- Reimbursements or incentives for you.
- What are the risks to you?
- Invasiveness of procedures.
- Known side effects.
- Signs and symptoms of adverse effects (AEs).
- Who to call and what to do if experience AEs.
Before you talk to the doctors and researchers for the first time, be sure to have a list of these and other questions that you want to ask them. As the patient, it is your right to ask any question that you have. It is the doctor’s and researcher’s job to answer your questions.