Information for Patients & Families

Clinical trials are research studies where people volunteer to help evaluate a new intervention. Interventions may be procedures or tests, that prevent, detect, treat or manage various diseases or medical conditions. A clinical trial helps to determine if an intervention works and is safe, and if it is better than the tests, procedures or medications already available.

A clinical trial may test the following:

• new drugs, not already approved for use
• vaccines
• devices
• surgical procedures
• behavioural therapies
• health service changes
• dietary changes
• educational interventions
• diagnostic or screening tests
• a new way to detect and treat disease.