Common Myths About Clinical Trials
Common Myths About Clinical Trials
Common Myths About Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are important in aiding the progress of treatment options for those with psychiatric illnesses. Clinical trials provide early access to treatments, contribute to medical knowledge about a condition, help guide future research, and have the potential to impact how people with the same condition are treated in the future. There is a lot that is still misunderstood about clinical trials. These myths that surface contribute to low participation rates across the country. Arch Clinical Trials recognizes that choosing to join a study can be daunting, so we are going to tackle a few of these myths to set the record straight.
Myth #1: Clinical trial subjects are human guinea pigs.
Much the opposite- most clinical trial participants report they were fully informed of the risks and benefits, felt they were treated with respect and dignity, had a positive experience and would recommend a trial to others. In fact, strict guidelines are in place to ensure that you and all other clinical trial volunteers are treated fairly and ethically. There are rules on how the medication must be tested for safety before it goes into human trials. In fact, in one study, only 9% of subjects said they felt like a guinea pig.
Myth #2: If I join this trial, there is a chance I will get a placebo.
The comparison treatment you receive, whether placebo (an intervention with no active ingredients or therapeutic effect) or an existing medicine, depends on the type of trial. The study sponsor uses randomization to make sure each person has an equal chance to receive the study drug. Clinical trials may compare a new therapy to one that is already available, to a placebo that contains no active ingredients, or to no medicine at all. In either way, the study site works to provide proper care to each subject.
Myth #3: Once I join this trial, I cannot change my mind.
You are in control. Clinical trials rely on voluntary participation. If you decide you do not want to participate, you are free to leave a clinical trial at any time. This applies even after you have signed an informed consent and received the investigational drug or placebo. However, you should always let the clinical trial team know before you decide to leave the trial because some medicines cannot be stopped safely without a doctor’s help. The team may request you come in for one last visit to check on your health.
There are still plenty of other myths out there that revolve around clinical trials. If you happen to have any questions related to participating in a clinical study, feel free to reach out to us. Arch Clinical Trials wants you to feel comfortable with participating in one of our research studies!