Clinical trials

What’s a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are medical research studies designed to evaluate the effects of interventions on health outcomes.

Participants in a clinical trial receive specific interventions according to a research plan. The interventions may be medical products, such as drugs or devices; procedures; or behavioral, such as following a diet. A study may compare a new medical approach to standard practice, or to a placebo that contains no active ingredients, or to no intervention.

Are clinical trials safe?

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at ProHealth was established to protect your rights and welfare. The IRB reviews all clinical trials before they’re available to you. Our IRB includes medical professionals, scientists and community members.

Should I participate in a clinical trial?

It’s up to you to decide whether to take part in a clinical trial. Talk to your doctor and research team to learn about the clinical trial you’re considering. Expect them to help you understand:

• Details of the research study
• Your treatment options
• Tests or procedures you may have
• Your time commitment and expectations
• Potential benefits and risks of participating in the study
• Your rights as a research volunteer
• Any costs that may be involved

The best way to decide is to know and understand your individual options.

Benefits of clinical trials

When you choose to be part of a clinical trial, you may:

• Get a new treatment before its widely available.
• Have more frequent check-ups.
• Help improve care and treatment for a condition you have.
• Play a more active role in your care.

Risks of clinical trials

There’s no way to know for sure if a clinical trial will directly benefit you. Your condition may stay the same or get worse. Or you may experience side effects. Talk to your care team about how the clinical trial you’re considering may affect you.

Our focus areas

Find a wide range of local, national and international research studies at ProHealth focusing on:

• Brain, spine and nervous system
• Cancer
• Heart and vascular

Clinical trials and privacy

Your medical records are available only to people who need them to provide medical care, conduct your research study, or make sure your research study is safe and ethical. Learn more about our privacy policies.

Contact us

In addition to the list of trials noted below, other biomarker-driven clinical trials may be available to eligible patients through various partnerships. Email research.institute@phci.org to learn more about clinical trials at ProHealth or call 262-928-3447.