Medical clinical trials are constantly happening, but there are still some common misconceptions about safety in clinical trials. Looking at statistics from The Center for Information and Study On Clinical Trial Research Participation (CISCRP), we see some interesting data.
First, the data shows that North Americans are generally more accepting of the benefits of clinical trials. This may be because of the thriving medical research community in the United States in recent decades, and the high standards for clinical research.
But the numbers still aren’t great. For example, only 35 percent of Americans say that clinical research’s benefit is to advance science and treatment. Less say it helps improve or save lives. The percentage of people in other parts of the world who agreed with these benefits is even less.
At Physician’s Research Options, which works to conduct many different trials in Utah and surrounding states, and to enroll participants, we emphatically recognize clinical trials as vital for the advancement of medicine and treatment, and for improving lives.
The CISCRP survey, which is data from recent years, found that people have worries about clinical trials. One of the biggest worries is the possibility of side effects, with about 60 percent of respondents in North America saying they considered potential side effects as a risk of participating in a clinical trial. The overwhelming majority of participants in clinical trials will experience no negative side effects. In fact, many participants in trials see their health condition improve.
Many people also were worried about their overall health. Others worry about receiving a placebo. A handful of respondents were worried about privacy of medical records.
We hold our health as one of our highest, greatest possessions. We don’t want to compromise our health through getting involved in a clinical, even if it paid. But the reality is that there are strict and detailed laws and guidelines for those conducting clinical trials to ensure the safety of participants. Furthermore, treatments and medications undergo thorough testing before humans are introduced.
Make sure you learn everything you need to know about a trial before you participate. This will help you gain confidence in the safety and value of your contribution.
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