Mercy Research Patient Services

People participate in clinical trials for a variety of reasons. People who volunteer for clinical trials may gain access to promising drugs or devices long before they are approved for the public.

Participation in clinical trials is always voluntary. Deciding not to participate in a trial will not affect your care. Clinical trials are often treatment options that you may want to consider.  

Before you begin a clinical trial, you will be asked to provide your informed consent.  Giving informed consent is a process in which one learns about the research and its risks, benefits, and alternatives before deciding whether or not to participate. Informed consent is essential before enrolling in a study and ongoing once enrolled.

Many clinical trials research drugs or devices to determine safety and effectiveness. If you decide to participate in a clinical trial such as this, your health care will be monitored during required office visits by physicians and research staff. Throughout the clinical trial, you will have to take the study drug or device as instructed. You may be asked to have laboratory and diagnostic testing conducted. Other clinical trials exist to observe and collect data about diseases and treatments. These trials do not require a patient to change their current treatment to participate. The results collected from these observational trials may improve our knowledge and understanding of these conditions in the future.

Choosing to participate in a clinical trial is an important decision. You should think carefully about the potential risks and be sure all your questions are answered before deciding to participate. We encourage you to discuss your questions with family, friends, the research staff and your primary physician. Here are some questions you may want to ask the research staff: 

• What is the purpose of the trial? 
• What are the potential benefits and risks?
  
• What are my alternatives to participating in this trial?
• How long will I be required to participate in the trial? 
• How often will I need to visit the clinic/hospital? 
• Where will the visits take place?
  
• What are my treatment options outside of the study?

Before a study begins, the Mercy Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews the study’s goals, treatments and procedures to ensure there are no unnecessary risks and your rights are fully protected. In addition, federal agencies and external review boards evaluate studies to ensure their safety and compliance with federal regulations.

If you decide to participate in a clinical trial, some of the associated costs may be paid for by the research study. Typically, you or your insurance would still be billed for costs of routine care, including co-pays or deductibles. The investigator or research coordinator will discuss the specific costs of a trial with you before you decide to participate.

If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, please complete our online contact form.

For more information visit http://clinicaltrials.gov.