Guides

How to join a clinical trial

A step-by-step guide to finding a trial, contacting the study team, screening and informed consent.

6 min read

Understanding clinical trial phases

What Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 trials mean, and what each phase is designed to learn.

4 min read

Questions to ask before joining a trial

A practical checklist of questions to ask the research team before you decide to take part.

3 min read

What is informed consent?

What informed consent means in a clinical trial, what the consent form covers, your rights, and how you can withdraw at any time.

6 min read

Do clinical trials pay? Compensation explained

How clinical trial payments work: stipends, travel reimbursement, what's typical, what affects the amount, and what to ask the study team.

6 min read

Are clinical trials safe? Risks and benefits

How clinical trials are overseen, what risks to expect, how your safety is monitored, and how to weigh risks against possible benefits.

7 min read

Placebos in clinical trials: what it means for you

What a placebo is, when trials use one, whether you'll know what you're getting, and how standard-of-care comparisons work.

5 min read

How long do clinical trials take?

How long clinical trials last by phase, the difference between your time commitment and the overall study length, and what affects the timeline.

5 min read

What happens at a clinical trial screening visit?

What to bring to a clinical trial screening visit, the tests involved, how long it takes and common reasons people don't qualify.

6 min read

Why was I excluded from a clinical trial?

Common reasons people are excluded from clinical trials, what it means, and what to do next — including finding other trials.

5 min read

How to talk to your doctor about clinical trials

When to bring up clinical trials with your doctor, what to ask, how to get a referral and how to prepare for the conversation.

5 min read

Decentralized and virtual clinical trials explained

What decentralized and virtual clinical trials are, how remote visits work, and the pros and cons of taking part from home.

5 min read

Randomization in clinical trials: how it works

What randomization means in a clinical trial, why it matters for fair results, and how blinding works — explained simply.

5 min read

Why diversity in clinical trials matters

Why some groups are under-represented in clinical trials, why it matters for how well treatments work for everyone, and what is changing.

6 min read

Tuskegee and the safeguards that exist now

The honest history of the Tuskegee syphilis study, and the protections it led to: ethics review, informed consent and your right to leave.

7 min read

Your rights as a clinical trial participant

Your rights in a clinical trial: voluntary participation, leaving at any time, getting answers to your questions, and how your privacy is protected.

5 min read

A caregiver's guide to clinical trials

Searching for a trial for a spouse, parent or child? How to search on their behalf, what consent means, and how to look after yourself too.

7 min read

What to say when you call a clinical trial site

A practical call script: what to have ready, exactly what to say first, the key questions to ask, and what to do if the answer is no.

6 min read

Your clinical trial journey: a step-by-step checklist

The whole path from finding a trial to leaving one, as a checklist: eligibility, your doctor, first contact, screening, consent and taking part.

6 min read