Recent advancements in clinical research and practices have opened a portal into a deeper understanding of chronic illness and the people that live with them. With proper research and technological advancements, the medical field has been able to uncover numerous solutions that provide patients with chronic illness an improved way of life. However, many of these solutions and advancements are in part due to the patients that participate in clinical trials.
Not only do these patients receive the sense of belonging and purpose, they are helping researchers and doctors understand certain chronic illnesses that drug regimens and therapy do not treat effectively.
In large, many patients often are fearful of participating in a clinical study. However, there could be some unexpected benefits. Let us look at the top 5 benefits of participating in a clinical study.
1. Improved Quality of Life
During a clinical study, there will be numerous experiments all with the intention of prolonging the disease at hand, or possibly curing it once and for all. With this in mind, a patient’s involvement may gain the patient an exclusive access to what could possibly be a cure for the illness or a comprehensive treatment. If the applied method of therapy or medication does produce measurably beneficial results, then the patient has, in result to their participation, heightened their quality of life. This can mean that some of the pain or overall disease may be healed. By taking a chance, the patient may just better their health.
2. Add to The Solution
If it wasn’t for patients that are willing to get involved in clinical trials, the results of many clinical studies could potentially prove disastrous results in the development of new medicines and therapies. With this in mind, informed volunteers add to the solution of finding proper solutions for chronic illnesses. Metropolitan cities such as Atlanta and Miami tend to set up new clinical trials yearly, looking for a diverse patient population that can add to the collective data on certain chronic illnesses.
If clinical studies did not have generous patients willing to join the fight towards certain chronic illnesses, doctors would be lacking many of the best solutions and medical treatments that are available today. New patients that have been diagnosed with a chronical illness can possibly the bridge into finding a cure and curing a large portion of the population with the same diagnosis.
3. Compensation & Possible Free Medical Care
Most volunteers, depending on the chronic illness will receive some sort of proper compensation. This compensation may be in the form of travel expenses, free treatment, and even state of the art medical care at no added cost. Obtaining the correct healthcare for a patient with chronic illness can be difficult, and worse of all, expensive. However, it is not required for enrollment in many clinical studies throughout the United States. This is just one of the reasons many cancer patients have chosen to enroll in clinical studies. They have gained proper healthcare and professional medical advice at no additional cost, simply by contributing their time and opinions.
4. Expert Healthcare
Through the predetermined period required for proper study, the patient will always receive expert healthcare. All volunteers are closely attended to one by one by an expert team of healthcare professionals with years of experience. This is in part due to the fact that each patient is treated under special circumstances to ensure the best possible outcome. Alongside, the volunteer serves as a magnifying glass into the specific chronic illness. In turn, the lead investigators are focused on discovering as much information as possible when it comes to the patient and their medical conditions. This method of treatment can at times be better than what the volunteer would have received elsewhere.
5. Receive New Treatments Before They Are Widely Available
As a result to a volunteers participation, the participant may be the first in line to receiving the newest treatments. If there is a new treatment or therapy that is proven to be of great benefit, and you are in the volunteer group to receive it, then you have a direct line towards your healing. By participating, you are gambling with the opportunity of receiving the newest and most beneficial treatments for a certain chronic illness. However, if you are not in the group receiving the newest medicine, therapy, or solution, you will receive the current standard care at no cost to you. This treatment at times is as good or better than the newest approach. Either way, your participation is compensated with proper treatment all with the intention of enhancing your life and the life of millions of people.
The One Missing Key
With clinical research advancements and enhanced technology merging together, there is only one missing key to finding the cure to certain chronic illnesses – you, the participant. Proper research and studies cannot be conducted unless there is a direct look into the environment where chronic illness thrives, the human body. With this in mind, clinical studies continue to grow yearly with the intention of finding the solution for many chronic illnesses, such as cancer.
Evidently, participants are always welcomed to volunteer in a clinical study. If you decide to participate in a clinical study, you may receive numerous benefits that directly impact your quality of life. Participants are not only paving the way for a solution to be found, they are living on purpose and with a sense of direction. It’s safe to say that if you decide to participate in a clinical study, you are not only acting to improve your health, but the lives of millions.
