Participation

As a volunteer, you have the opportunity to be involved in clinical research that may bring about advances in science and healthcare. There are risks that you need to know about before you decide to enroll in a clinical trial. Any questions you may have about the study will be answered before you start, but before a new treatment is tested with patients it is carefully studied for several years in a laboratory and tested for safety. At Vanderbilt, clinical trials undergo a rigorous approval process both by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and by two separate committees at the Medical Center. Patients who qualify for a trial decide, with advice from their doctor, whether to participate in a study. The patient will learn about both the risks and benefits of the study before making a decision.

Phases of a Clinical Trial