What is a Clinical Trial?
Clinical research studies or ‘clinical trials’ are medical studies organized by a Pharmaceutical or Medical Device company (also referred to as ‘Sponsors’ of a clinical trial). The Sponsor of a clinical trial partners with a physician, also referred to as an Investigator, to enroll patients into the study. The patient Volunteers take part for the purpose of helping to understand and develop more ways to treat or prevent different medical conditions. Studies are done to find treatments for health problems that do not have treatments yet or to improve the current treatment. Each clinical trial follows very strict rules set by the Food and Drug Administration and an Institutional Review Board . The product being tested, which can be a new drug or medical device, must undergo thorough scientific testing and animal studies to make sure it is safe for use in clinical trials under strict supervision by the Investigator.
Why should I volunteer?
Volunteers are the heartbeat of clinical research studies and we celebrate those who have taken part in these trials. They are partners in discovering new breakthroughs in medicine, advancing medical research, and in helping the health of future generations. Current advancements in medicine are made possible by those who have volunteered and contributed to.
How Do I Qualify?
Each volunteer must be screened to see if they meet the requirements set for the specific trial that they are interested in. These requirements are put into place to make sure that the research will collect the most thorough information from the study, and for the safety of the volunteers. You may see these requirements being called “Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria”. Inclusion criteria lists the things that the volunteer must meet to be included in the study (ex: age, sex, demographics, certain diagnosis, etc.), and “Exclusion Criteria” would be anything that would exclude you from the study (ex: medications, other medical diagnosis, etc.).
If you see a clinical trial that you are interested in, call the clinical research site and they will be able to answer any questions you may have, and assist you in scheduling for a screening visit.
Do not be discouraged if you do not qualify for one clinical trial. Each clinical trial has its own requirements. What disqualifies you in one study may not disqualify you in another. It is best to contact a research site so we can help find the right study for you.
Types of Clinical Trials and Volunteers
Here at NHRD, we work with a range of participants, including pediatric, geriatric, and others, specializing in different types of studies.
Safety Monitoring in Clinical Trials
The goal of safety monitoring is to identify, evaluate, minimize, and appropriately manage risks in a clinical trial. Safety monitoring of a clinical trial begins even before the treatment is studied in humans. At the clinical site level, it is led by the main physician with relevant medical expertise known as the Principal Investigator. At NHRD, the Principal Investigator who oversees the study conducts rigorous training of all clinical site staff to meet the highest standards in safety and integrity.
Facilities Enhancing Comfort for Volunteers
For overnight stays of clinical trials, we provide an optimal experience of comfort and safety, providing: free Wi-Fi, balanced meals, TV, movies, and video games, magazines, newspapers, and laundry and shower facilities.
Balanced meals
Free Wi-Fi
Movies and video games
Magazines, comic books and newspapers
Computers
Friends and family visitation as allowed by the study
