For some, perhaps the chance of a lifetime. For others, altruism. Whatever the reason, thousands of people sign up for clinical trials to test drugs and new types of treatment.
There are many diseases that need to be better studied in order to treat them with greater comfort and quality of life. The possibility of greater longevity and well-being is enough to get you involved in research.
If a person is interested in taking part in a study, they can talk to their doctor who will refer them to a research center or principal investigator at the hospital. There is also the option for patients to consult ongoing and soon-to-be-launched studies on the following websites clinicaltrials.gov e saude.gov.br/plataformabrasil.
First of all, the patient needs to undergo a series of pre-clinical tests and fulfill all the requirements of the study. It is necessary to have a population with very similar characteristics in order to measure the effectiveness of the treatment and eliminate confounding factors. This even includes physical aspects.
If approved, the patient signs the Informed Consent Form and enters the study. The patient's identity is protected and not disclosed in any way.
Patients taking part in a study must be aware that they are under the influence of a substance that can have various effects. For this reason, doctors insist that if any symptoms occur, they should contact them immediately.
Doctors are available 24 hours a day to act instantly when there is something serious. Research centers are also trained to guide patients and, in these cases, immediately notify the study sponsor.
It depends on each study. The frequency can be weekly, monthly, bimonthly or change over the course of the study.
Research centers are allowed to cover all travel and food costs incurred by the patient. To take part in the research, the patient does not have to pay for exams and consultations. Under Brazilian law, they cannot be paid for taking part in the research.
The length of participation depends on each study. In the case of chronic diseases, studies are generally longer - on average four to five years. In the case of research into substances to treat acute diseases, the period is shorter, especially when there is pain, due to the urgency of its treatment.