VOLUNTEER
Clinical research studies are vital to improving the quality of care for those with chronic conditions. Patients who volunteer at AMCRI contribute to the discovery of new therapies to treat and possibly cure their illness. You are an important link to cutting-edge research that can benefit people long before a medication or device becomes available in the healthcare marketplace.
Each study has specific requirements such as age, sex, and a current diagnosis of the medical condition under study. A physician reviews the medical history of anyone interested in participating All volunteers will be given details on the study procedures, risks and benefits as part of the required informed consent process. This process allows volunteers to ask pertinent questions of the clinical study team and to be regularly informed about all aspects of the study they are involved with.
Clinical research studies are vital to improving the quality of care for those with chronic conditions. Patients who volunteer at AMCRI contribute to the discovery of new therapies to treat and possibly cure their illness. You are an important link to cutting-edge research that can benefit people long before a medication or device becomes available in the healthcare marketplace.
A typical study evaluating a drug for people with type 2 diabetes will involve a placebo, or dummy pill, as well as the actual drug. These types of studies are referred to as double blinded. The research subjects, the investigators, and the nursing staff do not know which (the drug or the placebo) was given to each study participant. This eliminates any potential bias and makes the data more meaningful.
Before any clinic or institution starts a clinical trial, an official independent body called the Human Subjects Committee evaluates the study for safety based on early animal and human laboratory studies. Typically, these are done well before the large studies that you hear about. These committees and boards are very strict and will not allow any further study to be performed without the proper precautions in place and prior data showing its safety. In addition to that, each study has an External Data Safety Monitoring Board that has access to the data as the study proceeds and they have the authority to stop any clinical trial if they see a safety problem. They can also stop a study if the results are so positive that it is just a waste of time to delay the findings. The entire process is extremely meticulous, decisions are made very carefully, and there is an enormous amount of detailed data analysis.
Well...what's in it for you? Research advances our knowledge of medicine and the potential to have superior drugs and devices for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. There are also many personal benefits when it comes to getting involved.
Often times people improve their AlC merely from the attention they get from the clinical research staff, even the placebo group.
Now is an excellent time to be a research volunteer. I have been doing clinical research for over 20 years and I have seen so many positive things come out of the research, including advancement in oral medications, designer insulins, devices such as pumps, CGM and HGM, and many grateful subjects. It comes down to being educated about the study, asking questions, showing it to your own provider first, if desired, and weighing the pros and cons of getting involved.