Related Pages Protecting Participants in Clinical Trials A collection of material about the ways in which clinical trials participants are protected before and during the conduct of a study. Human Participant Protections Education A free, Web-based course developed at the National Institutes of Health for physicians, nurses, and other members of clinical research teams. This online course satisfies the NIH human subjects training requirement for extramural researchers obtaining Federal funds.

If you and your physician have found a clinical trial that is of interest to you and for which you are eligible (that is, you meet requirements such as type and stage of cancer, age, treatment history, overall health, and others), you will need information in order to make a decision about whether to participate in the trial. Making a decision about participating in a research study involves understanding the potential risks and benefits as well as your rights and responsibilities. The presentation and discussion of these important issues are part of the process called informed consent. This guide will tell you what to expect during the informed consent process, explain its importance to clinical research participants, and describe how it fits into a larger system that protects the welfare of people who take part in clinical trials.

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