Research basics
Clinical research, from the very beginning
What is clinical research?
Clinical research is any study that involves people and aims to answer a health question. It helps researchers learn what works, what does not, and for whom.
What is a protocol?
A protocol is the written plan for a study. It explains who can join, what happens at each visit, and how long the study lasts.
What are study phases?
Many trials move through phases. Early phases involve a small group and focus on safety. Later phases include more people and compare approaches.
Who reviews a study?
In the United States, studies involving people are usually reviewed by an Institutional Review Board, a group that checks that the plan protects volunteers.
What is informed consent?
Before joining, volunteers receive a document explaining the study, its possible risks, and their rights. Signing it is a choice, and volunteers can leave a study at any time.
Research words worth knowing
- Placebo
- An inactive version of an approach used for comparison.
- Randomized
- Volunteers are placed into groups by chance.
- Blinded
- Some people in the study do not know which group a volunteer is in.
- Principal investigator
- The researcher who leads a study at a site.
- Eligibility criteria
- The rules a study team uses to decide who may join.