Clinical trials are the key to finding new treatments for many of the diseases and medical problems facing the world. We can't overstate the importance of clinical trials, being the first contact between the treatment and the environment the treatment was designed for--the human body.

No amount of laboratory or animal testing can make up for the information we gather during a single clinical trial with volunteers like you. Clinical trials help us speed the latest medical breakthroughs out of the lab and make them available to the patients who need them most.

If you participate in a clinical trial, you may benefit from a new drug, procedure, or symptom-control method, while helping scientists evaluate its effectiveness. Your participation may also contribute directly to finding better ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases.

Clinical trials are offered through the following Clarian Health partners:

• Methodist Cancer Center Research Group
• IU Simon Cancer Center
• Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (Indiana CTSI)
• Clarian Arnett Clinical Research
• Clarian Arnett Cancer Care

A clinical trial is a research study with human volunteers. A clinical trial is designed to answer specific questions about any of the following:

• New drugs and vaccines
• Medical devices
• New ways of using existing treatments

In the interest of protecting the safety, rights, and confidentiality of patients, many federal and state agencies strictly regulate how hospitals may conduct clinical trials.

There are many different kinds of clinical trials for all kinds of diseases and problems, including:

• Prevention studies
• Early detection
• Treatment
• Quality of life
• Behavior modification

Generally, clinical trials are sponsored by:

• Pharmaceutical and medical device companies
• Investigating physicians
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research foundations