There are many types of clinical trials, but most focus on how conditions develop and the effectiveness of various treatments. Clinical trials have helped us to create therapies for rare cancers and develop vaccines to prevent disease.
Cleveland Clinic began conducting medical research in 1921. One of our founding principles is that quality patient care depends on active and innovative research. We remain committed to this mission, completing more than 8,000 clinical trials to answer healthcare’s most pressing questions.
Clinical trials help us to improve medicine for everyone. We are all unique. We all react differently to treatment and medications, influenced by our race, ethnicity and sex. Currently, about 80% of medical research participants represent only 12% of the global population. By participating in clinical trials, we can help make sure researchers find medical solutions that work for each of us. This is a crucial step to creating personalized medicine.
A Cleveland Clinic research nurse coordinator readies a new gene therapy to address the leading cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
There are many ways to become involved in clinical trials, depending on your wants/needs.
Some trials provide experimental treatments and medications for people whose conditions don’t respond to current medication. You can talk to your care team about finding a clinical trial that fits your needs. You can also view clinical trials that are currently enrolling patients at the links below. Make sure to consult your health care provider if you find a trial you’d like to participate in.
Healthy people can participate in clinical trials, too. When you take part in studies, we can learn how your body works and how we can keep it healthy. This can also help us develop better treatments for people like you. You can visit the links below to see if there’s a trial you’re interested in.
No matter your reason for getting involved, you can make a big impact. By participating in research, you help to make a better, healthier world for everyone.
We have many clinical trials that need participants. You can find trials listed by area below, or you can search all clinical trials and find exactly what you need with easy-to-use filters. Our study team members may also approach you about getting involved when you’re here for an appointment.
All researchers are required to follow human subject protection regulations and ethical principles designed to protect research patients. Before any clinical trial can begin, a panel of patient safety advocates called an Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews it. The IRB conducts a rigorous review to ensure your safety and rights are protected.
Researchers may analyze your DNA to determine influences like your response to a drug or treatment. It’s illegal for a researcher to use your DNA for anything outside the approved scope of the study. You’ll be informed if/how your DNA will be used before you agree to participate.
Participation in clinical trials is completely voluntary. You can choose to leave the study at any time.
We carefully document all information collected during a clinical trial. We code your personal information, which means it’s not matched to you. We keep all data in a secure study file. Our consent form includes more detailed information about how we protect your data or how we may share it.
For example, we might share information about allergies with your primary care doctor or put them in your medical record. Ask a research team member if you’d like to know more.
Research data confidentiality is legally protected. We code any information that identifies you. This means it’s not connected back to you. We store any forms or other study materials with confidential information (like blood or tissue samples, audio/video recordings) in a locked facility or database. Only authorized personnel can access them.
The amount of time and participation needed varies for each study. Participation is voluntary and can be stopped at any time. Before participating in a study, it’s important to clarify exactly what’s needed from you to make sure you want to be involved. To help you make that decision, we’ve developed a list of questions you can ask.
