A clinical trial is a research study in human subjects with the aim of answering specific questions about a new medical treatment (vaccines, new therapies or new ways of using known treatments). Clinical trials (also called medical research and research studies) are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Advances in drugs, devices, preventive and therapeutic strategies, behavioural research, and other interventions to improve human life often result from clinical trials.
The HRB Clinical Research Facility Cork supports nearly 50 clinical trials or clinical investigations at any given time, involving patients, HRB CRF-UCC affiliated researchers, and industry partners. If you are asked to be part of a research study, you will be given an information sheet that tells you more about the research, what it involves, how much time it is likely to take and all the risks and benefits of taking part.
For patients, participating in a clinical trial may enable you to:
- play a more active role in your own health care,
- gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and
- help others by contributing to medical research.
IPPOSI has launched an information campaign about clinical trials – www.clinicaltrials.ie and supporting leaflets – that aims to inform patients and the general public about taking part in clinical trials. This website provides information on clinical trials for:
- Adults – view pdf
- Children under 8 years – view pdf
- Children aged 8 to 12 years – view pdf
- Children aged 13 to 18 years – view pdf
Note: IPPOSI – is a patient-led organisation that works with patients, government, industry, science and academia to put patients at the heart of health innovation. The HRB Clinical Research Facility at UCC is a member of IPPOSI