What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is a research study. It is designed to test if an investigational medicine, vaccine, or medical device is effective and safe. Every approved medicine we have today is available because people volunteered to participate in a clinical trial.

Connecting the Dots: Leveraging Technology to Design More Diverse Clinical Trials

For clinical studies to be truly successful, a study must be inclusive of all patient populations that benefit from them. That’s why we’re working to improve diversity in our clinical trials.

Want to learn more about clinical trial options for a specific health condition?

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Most ideas for a new medicine or treatment start in a laboratory. This is called preclinical research. Scientists research an investigational study drug in the lab, sometimes over many years, before testing it in people.

An investigational study drug that shows promise in the lab may advance to the next step: clinical trials. Each trial is designed differently, but all trials are highly regulated with processes in place to protect participants.

Ensuring clinical trials are diverse and inclusive is not just the right thing to do. It’s important for scientific reasons to help make sure the investigational study drug is safe and effective for those who would need it most.

Learn more about clinical trials.

Clinical Trials informational brochure

Understanding Clinical Trials book (for kids)

Understanding Clinical Trials book (for adults)

People volunteer for clinical trials for different reasons.

Diversity and health equity

Diversity plays a crucial role in advancing health equity, as it's essential to understand how investigational study drugs work in different populations. By including a wide range of participants in clinical trials, researchers can gain valuable insights.

Understanding Clinical Trials book (for adults)

Diversity plays a crucial role in advancing health equity, as it's essential to understand how investigational study drugs work in different populations. By including a wide range of participants in clinical trials, researchers can gain valuable insights.

Helping others

Thousands of people volunteer to participate in clinical trials every year. The reasons for participation vary, but all of them help to advance medicine.

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