First step: a call or a request
You call the clinic or leave a request on the website. The administrator tells you which studies are currently recruiting and books you in for a talk. At this stage no medical information is collected through the website: diagnoses and medical history are discussed by the doctor in person.
The talk and informed consent
The study doctor explains the aim of the study, the procedures, the risks and the benefits, and answers your questions. If you agree to take part, you sign the informed consent form. More in the article “Informed consent”.
Examination
After you sign the consent, the doctor carries out a medical examination. It usually includes a talk about your health and the medicines you take, a physical examination, measurement of vital signs, an electrocardiogram (ECG) and laboratory tests. The exact list depends on the study protocol.
Checking the criteria
The doctor compares the examination results with the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the protocol. They are the same for all candidates and protect you above all: a study is conducted only with people for whom it is safe.
What happens next
If you are suitable, you are told the schedule of visits or hospital stay and the rules of participation (for example, meals and restrictions on medicines and alcohol) — the doctor explains them. If you are not suitable, you will be told the reason, within what can be disclosed, and told about other studies if there are any.
Questions and answers are in the “Volunteers” section.
Questions and answers
Why might I not be enrolled in a study if I am healthy?
Every study has its own inclusion and exclusion criteria: age, examination results, concomitant medicines and other parameters. Being turned away does not mean there is anything wrong with your health: the protocol simply requires a particular set of conditions.
Do I need to prepare for the examination?
The administrator will tell you which documents to bring and how to prepare when you book. Come to the examination at the agreed time.
See also
Informed consent: what to know before you sign
Informed consent is a document you sign after a doctor has explained the study in detail: its aims, procedures, risks, benefits and your rights. Sign it only when everything is clear.
Learn moreBecome a volunteer in clinical studies
Taking part in a clinical study is voluntary. In a minute you can check whether you meet the general conditions, then leave your phone number: the coordinator will tell you which studies are currently enrolling. The doctor will explain everything else in person before you sign the consent.
Learn more