At Hope Clinical Trials, we are committed to advancing medicine by connecting patients with carefully selected clinical research opportunities. Our experienced research team has participated in Phase I through Phase IV pharmaceutical trials across a variety of therapeutic areas, working closely with study sponsors, physicians, and participants throughout every stage of the research process. 
We believe clinical research should be accessible, understandable, and centered around the patient. Our team takes the time to educate participants about each study, explain potential benefits and requirements, and provide ongoing support throughout their participation.
By taking part in clinical trials, eligible patients may gain access to emerging therapies while helping researchers evaluate new treatments that could improve care for future generations.
A clinical research study, also called a clinical trial, is a carefully designed study involving people who volunteer to help researchers learn more about a medication, treatment, device, or approach to healthcare.
Clinical trials help researchers determine whether new treatments are effective, understand their potential risks and side effects, and learn which patients may benefit most. Research may involve an investigational therapy or an already approved medication being studied for a new use.
Clinical research has played an essential role in developing many of the medications and treatments we rely on today.
It is understandable to have questions about safety before participating in a clinical trial. Research studies can involve risks, just as many medical treatments can, and those risks vary depending on the specific study.
Clinical trials follow detailed research protocols designed to protect participants and evaluate treatments carefully. Before joining, you will receive information about known and potential risks, possible benefits, study procedures, and available alternatives so that you can make an informed decision about participating.
Your safety and well-being remain an important part of the research process throughout the study.
No. You are a person and a voluntary participant in medical research, not a test subject without a voice.
Unfortunately, misconceptions about clinical trials can make research sound frightening or impersonal. Modern clinical research includes important safeguards designed to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of participants.
Before you agree to participate, the research team explains the study, what will happen, potential risks and benefits, and your other treatment options. This process is called informed consent. You are encouraged to ask questions and take the time you need to decide whether participation is right for you.
Your participation is always a choice.
Clinical research is conducted according to established protocols and regulatory requirements. Depending on the study, research may be reviewed by an Institutional Review Board, or IRB, and may also be subject to oversight by agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
An IRB is an independent group that reviews research involving people with the goal of helping protect participants’ rights and welfare.
These safeguards are an important difference between legitimate clinical research and simply “experimenting” on someone without appropriate protections.
Informed consent means understanding the study before deciding whether you want to participate.
Before enrolling, the research team will explain important information about the study, including its purpose, procedures, expected length, potential risks and benefits, and other information that may affect your decision.
You should have an opportunity to ask questions before signing the informed consent form, and asking questions does not obligate you to participate.
Informed consent is also an ongoing process. If important new information becomes available during the study that could affect your decision to continue, the research team should discuss it with you.
Yes. Participation in clinical research is voluntary.
Choosing to participate does not mean you give up control over your medical decisions. You may decide that you no longer want to participate and can withdraw from a study.
If you are considering leaving a study, speak with the research team first so they can explain whether any medical follow-up or safe discontinuation procedures are recommended.
Participating in research should always be an informed choice.
Not every clinical trial uses a placebo.
Whether a placebo is used depends on the design and purpose of the particular study. Some studies compare an investigational therapy with an existing treatment, while others may compare it with a placebo or another standard of care.
If a study involves the possibility of receiving a placebo, this should be explained to you during the informed consent process before you decide whether to participate.
Ask us. We want you to understand exactly how a study works before making your decision.
Every study is different, and there is no guarantee that an individual participant will personally benefit from an investigational treatment. However, there are several reasons people choose to participate.
Depending on the study, participants may have an opportunity to receive an investigational therapy that is not yet widely available and receive study-related medical monitoring. Participation can also help researchers learn more about diseases and treatments.
Perhaps most importantly, research volunteers help move medicine forward. The information learned today can contribute to better treatment options for patients in the future, including people living with conditions for which existing treatments have not provided the results they need.
For many participants, contributing to that progress is an important part of the decision to participate.
Every new treatment has to start somewhere.
Before new medications and therapies can become part of everyday medical care, researchers need evidence about how they work in people. Clinical trials help answer those questions.
Research is especially important for people living with conditions where current therapies may be limited or may not work for everyone. Clinical studies can help scientists explore new possibilities and potentially bring us closer to treatments that did not exist before.
Participants are more than volunteers in a study. They are an important part of the process that helps advance medical knowledge for future patients.
Every clinical trial has specific eligibility criteria that determine who may participate. These can include factors such as age, medical condition, medical history, laboratory results, medications, previous treatments, and other health information.
Our research team can review currently available studies with you and determine whether there may be an opportunity that matches your individual circumstances.
Qualifying for a study does not require you to participate. We will explain the study and answer your questions so that you can decide whether participation is right for you.
We encourage patients and families to learn as much as possible and ask questions before deciding whether participation in a clinical trial is right for them. Independent organizations also provide educational resources and information about clinical research:
Center for Information & Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP)
An independent nonprofit organization providing education and resources to help patients and the public better understand clinical research.
www.ciscrp.org
ClinicalTrials.gov
A website maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine that provides information about publicly and privately supported clinical studies in the United States and around the world.
www.clinicaltrials.gov
CenterWatch
A clinical research information resource where patients can learn about clinical trials and search for research opportunities by medical condition and location.
www.centerwatch.com
