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<span>Clinical Trials</span>
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Clinical Trials
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<span class="toc-label">On this page</span>
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<h3>Basics</h3>
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<li>
<a title="Go to: Summary" href="#summary">Summary</a>
</li>
<li>
<a title="Go to: Start Here" href="#cat_51">Start Here</a>
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<h3>Learn More</h3>
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<li>
<a title="Go to: Related Issues" href="#cat_47">Related Issues</a>
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<a title="Go to: Specifics" href="#cat_42">Specifics</a>
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<h3>See, Play and Learn</h3>
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<h3>Research</h3>
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<h3>For You</h3>
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<h2>Summary</h2>
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<div id="topic-summary" class="syndicate"><p>Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. Each study
answers scientific questions and tries to find better ways to prevent, screen for, diagnose, or treat a
disease. Clinical trials may also compare a new treatment to a treatment that is already available.</p>
<p>Every clinical trial has a protocol, or action plan, for conducting the trial. The plan describes what
will be done in the study, how it will be conducted, and why each part of the study is necessary. Each study
has its own rules about who can take part. Some studies need volunteers with a certain disease. Some need
healthy people. Others want just men or just women.</p>
<p>An Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews, monitors, and approves many clinical trials. It is an independent committee of physicians, statisticians, and members of the community. Its role is to:</p><ul>
<li>Make sure that the study is ethical</li>
<li>Protect the rights and welfare of the participants</li>
<li>Make sure that the risks are reasonable when compared to the potential benefits</li>
</ul>
<p>In the United States, a clinical trial must have an IRB if it is studying a drug, biological product, or medical device that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates, or it is funded or carried out by the federal government.</p>
<p class="attribution">NIH: National Institutes of Health</p></div>
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<h2>Start Here
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<li>
<a href="https://www.genome.gov/FAQ/Clinical-Research" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="34142" data-org="NHGRI">Clinical Research FAQ</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Human Genome Research Institute)</span>
</span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/basics" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="77373" data-org="NIH">Clinical Trial Basics</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Institutes of Health)</span>
</span>
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<li>
<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/research/clinical-trials/how-studies-work" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="117268" data-org="NHLBI">How Clinical Trials Work</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
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<span class="orgs"> (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)</span>
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<h2>Related Issues
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<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/safety#informed-consent" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="10534" data-org="NCI">Are Clinical Trials Safe?</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Cancer Institute)</span>
</span>
<span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/investigacion/participe/estudios-clinicos/son-seguros-los-estudios-clinicos" data-sid="119748">Spanish</a> </span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/minority-health-and-health-equity-resources/clinical-trial-diversity" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="109308" >Clinical Trial Diversity</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<span class="orgs"> (Food and Drug Administration)</span>
</span>
<span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.fda.gov/consumers/minority-health-and-health-equity-resources/diversidad-en-los-estudios-clinicos-hoja-informativa" data-sid="119599">Spanish</a> </span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials/paying" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="159666" data-org="NCI">Who Pays for Clinical Trials?</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Cancer Institute)</span>
</span>
</li>
</ul>
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<h2>Specifics
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<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/about-cancer-clinical-research" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="159668" data-org="NCI">About Cancer Clinical Research</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Cancer Institute)</span>
</span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.cc.nih.gov/participate/studies" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="111443" data-org="NIHCC">Are Clinical Studies for You?</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center)</span>
</span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-center" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="128141" data-org="NCI">Cancer Clinical Trials at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Cancer Institute)</span>
</span>
<span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.cancer.gov/espanol/cancer/tratamiento/centro-clinico" data-sid="128143">Spanish</a> </span>
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/trials" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="74752" data-org="NIMH">Clinical Trials -- Information for Participants</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Institute of Mental Health)</span>
</span>
<span class="also-lang"> Also in <a target="TheNewWin2" href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/trials/estudios-clinicos-informacion-para-los-participantes" data-sid="112450">Spanish</a> </span>
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<li>
<a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/clinical-trials-and-studies/clinical-research-benefits-risks-and-safety" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="132927" data-org="NIA">Clinical Trials: Benefits, Risks, and Safety</a>
<span class="desc-text">
<img width="25" height="16" alt="From the National Institutes of Health" title="From the National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nih.png" class="imgdesc">
<span class="orgs"> (National Institute on Aging)</span>
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<a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/clinical-trials-and-studies/participating-alzheimers-disease-and-related-dementias-research" target="TheNewWin" data-sid="133110" data-org="NIA">Participating in Alzheimer&#x27;s Disease and Related Dementias Research</a>
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