Clinical trials are vital for the development of new, medicines — but they rely upon volunteers to succeed. Here you’ll learn more about our clinical trials, what it’s like to participate, and how you may be able to help improve treatment options for patients.

Before a new treatment can be prescribed to a patient, it goes through quite the journey. It starts in the laboratory, with pre-clinical trials where scientists carefully study the potential new drug. If the results of these pre-clinical studies are promising, the investigational medicine begins the next stage of the process, where its effects are studied in people. These volunteers (sometimes called participants) may receive the specific study treatment(s), a placebo, or no study treatment at all, and may complete various assessments and study clinic visits. Trials follow a carefully designed research plan called a protocol, which has been reviewed and approved by both the local medicines regulatory authorities and typically by an Ethics Committee of independent medical professionals and specialists to protect participants’ safety.