Clinical research is medical research that involves people. Individuals volunteer to participate in carefully conducted investigations that ultimately uncover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose and understand human disease. There are strict rules for clinical research, which are monitored by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Clinical research studies can be a means of developing new treatments and medications for diseases and conditions or a way to track information about medical conditions over time.
Ideas for clinical research often originate in the laboratory or patient-care settings. After researchers test new therapies or procedures in the laboratory and in animal studies, the most promising experimental treatments are moved into clinical trials, which are conducted in phases. During a trial, more information is gained about an experimental treatment, its risks, and its effectiveness.
Clinical research studies in the Digestive Disease Institute fall into two basic types of projects. The first type is clinical trials. In clinical trials, a new drug or device is often being evaluated. Some clinical trials involve promising new treatments that may directly benefit patients.
The second type is an outcomes research database or registry. In a research database, information about an individual and his/her health is collected over a period of time. Research databases may indirectly benefit patients as trends about health conditions and best treatment options are identified.
The Digestive Disease Clinical Research Unit is currently conducting over 150 clinical research projects.
For more information about enrolling studies in the Digestive Disease Institute, please call 216.636.5340 or email DDI-Research@ccf.org.
