Today, we’re taking a deeper dive into some of the benefits and potential disadvantages of participating in a clinical research study. These points should be used in conjunction with advice from a healthcare professional when considering if participation in a clinical research study is right for you. 

Potential Benefits of Participating in a Clinical Research Study: 
 

• Access to highly-qualified medical professionals as part of disease treatment
• Possibility of accessing a new drug that is not yet available
• Increases knowledge of diseases and supports drug development

Potential Disadvantages of Participating in a Clinical Study 

• Treatment is not always effective
• Some patients may experience side effects
• Some patients may be given a placebo instead of the active new drug
• Patients may find treatments, hospital stays, and frequent trips to the study site to be demanding

Each year, thousands of patients and healthy volunteers participate in clinical research studies. Every study has its own guidelines explaining the ‘inclusion criteria’ and ‘exclusion criteria’ for participation. At UCB, we work continuously to incorporate the participants’ voice and feedback in our clinical research study design in an effort to deliver a patient-preferred experience.
 
Check out UCB’s clinical studies, or for information on U.S. trials including information on disease area, study type, location, contact information, and recruitment status, visit ClinicalTrials.gov.

For more in our series on clinical studies, check out:

• Clinical Research 101
• 4 Phases of a Clinical Research Studies