Thinking about joining a clinical trial? Before jumping in, it’s worth slowing down and asking yourself some big-picture questions about your “why,” your comfort level, and what the process actually looks like. This guide breaks it all down: how to search smart, what screening and consent really mean, and what to expect once you’re in a study. Check it out, and decide whether participating feels right for you!
1. What’s your “WHY”?
2. What phase of clinical trials am I comfortable with?
3. Risks vs. Rewards
Search reputable sites like National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); Breakthrough T1D; ClinicalTrials.gov; or major medical centers like the UHealth Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) or Barbara Davis Center (BDC) to identify different ongoing clinical trials that you fit the inclusion criteria for (who they are looking for). Ensure that you do not have any exclusion criteria (reasons you would not qualify) and always verify with your healthcare provider prior to joining a clinical trial.
You can also reach out to your healthcare provider to see if they know of any open studies!
Once you have found a study and connected with the study coordinator, they will begin screening you for the trial. They will ensure that you fall within the inclusion criteria (what they are looking for i.e., T1D using a CGM or T2D on GLP-1 therapy) as well as exclude you if you have any exclusion criteria (what they are NOT looking for i.e., using glucometer instead of CGM or on Metfomin instead of GLP-1).
The screening phase may include a series of interviews, labs, or exams. The researchers want to make sure that you are as good a fit as you think you are.
While the informed consent process should answer all your questions, make sure to read through it and ask any lingering questions not answered!
The consent should explain the following:
Here’s the trade-off:
Different ethnicities and minorities may react differently to a new medication or therapy, which is why diversity in trials is so important. Did you know that only 2-16% of clinical trial participants are racial and ethnic minorities, while racial and ethnic minorities actually make up to 39% of the US population? [1] With more diversity, you achieve better science that is more understanding and inclusive of everyone’s needs. It is important to note that the Lancet documented that 53 drugs approved in 2020 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were tested in trials in which 75% of participants were White [2].
After the study, researchers may follow up with you for months after or even a year after to see how you are doing and continue to assess the efficacy of the study and novel medication or treatment. Any type of follow up will be brought to your attention during the informed consent.
All the medicine we have today once started in a clinical trial. If it were not for the brave people with diabetes (LIKE YOU) that wanted to be a part of changing medicine for the better, we would not have many of the medical advancements and treatments that we have today! Participating in medical research makes you an advocate in the diabetes community (which is something to be proud of!). Your participation can enable change and help not only make diabetes more manageable, but also bring us one step closer to a cure.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2024, November). Toward a Framework to Improve Diversity and Inclusion in Clinical Trials: Proceedings of a workshop. The National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/28587/interactive/
Janet Brown-Friday; Diversity in Clinical Trials: A Complicated Issue, Not a Simple Solution. Diabetes Spectr 15 May 2024; 37 (2): 186–192. https://doi.org/10.2337/ds24-0021