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What Are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are health research studies conducted in a medical setting to aid the development of novel medicine, vaccines, and treatments by gathering important physiological data. Without clinical trials, we would not have over-the-counter pills, antibiotics,¹ or even the COVID-19 vaccine! Because clinical trials help us all achieve an improved quality of life, science needs diverse and inclusive participation to advance healthcare. However, only 10% of the global population participates in research, leaving 90% of the world underrepresented.²
The fear associated with research participation runs deep from historically unethical human research. Fortunately, today, there are laws and regulations in place, as well as rigorous review processes, to ensure that present day clinical trials are conducted ethically, for the benefit of health advancement.
Present day clinical trials are typically run with a dedicated care team at a trial site with close monitoring of the delivery of any medication or use of medical technology, to ensure the participant’s safety. However, to many, traditional clinical trials are invasive to their day-to-day lifestyle which present barriers to participation, such as:
