Clinical Trials for Seniors

Participating in a clinical trial can be rewarding, both for you and for others who can benefit from the knowledge gained from the process. A clinical trial is a research study that uses human volunteers to discover if an experimental drug, medical device, therapy, lifestyle change, or test has the potential to treat, diagnose, or prevent a disease. They are also done to determine if experimental treatments are more effective or safer than those currently available.

Who Can Participate in Clinical Trials

Clinical trials need people who are ill as well as those who are healthy. Some trials require participants to have a certain disease or medical condition, along with other criteria; others enroll healthy volunteers only.

Types of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials fall into several categories:

• Treatment trials gather information about experimental treatments, compare existing therapies, and/or evaluate treatment methods.
• Screening trials study ways to find diseases before symptoms occur
• Diagnostic trials find new tests that could identify diseases
• Prevention trials explore ways to reduce the risk of getting diseases or medical conditions
• Quality of life trials find ways to improve the lives of people who have a chronic condition or disease

Finding a Clinical Trial

Your health care provider may know about clinical trials that match your health needs. You can also go to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website for a list of current clinical trials. On the NIH website, use search terms such as “aged,” “elderly,” and “senior.” You can also look in large-city newspapers, which frequently carry advertisements for trials in local hospitals and universities. If you have a specific medical condition (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease), support groups also often have lists of current trials.

Should You Join a Clinical Trial?

Before you join a clinical trial, talk to your health care provider so you can discuss the risks and benefits. If you care for someone who is unable to make a decision about a clinical trial and you don’t have power of attorney, speak with a lawyer.

If you select a trial, you will be screened to see if you meet the requirements. The research team must provide you with information about the trial before you decide to participate. This is called informed consent, and you will be given a document that outlines the potential risks, benefits, and your rights and responsibilities. If you agree to take part after you get this information, you will sign the informed consent document. However, you can leave the trial at any time for any reason.

Before you join a trial, review the following questions:

• Have I discussed my health condition with my health care provider?
• Do I fully understand the information that was given to me?
• Am I willing to take the chance that I will get the experimental treatment?
• Do I understand how my participation in this trial may affect my daily life?
• Am I able to fulfill the responsibilities that are expected of me during this trial? This may include showing up for appointments, completing questionnaires, taking medications on time, and eating a specific diet.
• Is there a cost involved?

You can learn more about clinical trials by viewing a video offered by the National Institutes of Health.

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