Clinical trials are the only approved method for developing new treatments. Participation in clinical trials is an altruistic personal decision in which the research subject accepts certain unknown risks to advance medical treatment. The choice to participate in a clinical trial is an important personal decision. It is often helpful to talk to a physician, family members, or friends before deciding to join a clinical trial. People who do choose to participate in a clinical trial often do so to play a more active role in their own health care, to gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and/or to help others by contributing to medical research.

Research subjects will typically get care is that well monitored by the health care institution and the pharmaceutical companies. Research-related care will be free. Quality clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people and discover ways to improve health. Participation in clinical trials may help to improve medical treatments and to increase the general knowledge of the medical community.