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ClinicalTrials.gov - Benefits and Risks of Clinical Trials

Question: What are the benefits and risks of participating in a clinical trial?
Answer:
  • - There are both benefits and risks associated with clinical trials. By participating in a clinical trial, you may benefit by:

    • - gaining access to new treatments that are not yet available to the public

    • - obtaining expert medical care at a leading health care facility

    • - playing an active role in your own health care

    • - helping others by contributing to medical research

  • - Clinical trials may also have risks:

    • - there may be unpleasant, serious or even life-threatening side effects from treatment

    • - treatment may not be effective for some individuals

    • - the study may require a lot of time for traveling to the study site, receiving treatments, or hospital stays

    • - health insurance may not cover all the study costs

  • - Additional Resource Information on clinical trials can be found at http://clinicaltrials.gov/info/resources
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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/ctbenefits.html