A clinical trial evaluates - in humans - a drug, device or mode of therapy for a disease. All therapies put into use in the U.S. go through a rigorous process of testing, culminating in evaluation of the treatment in human research participants. In order to test new treatments, clinical trial investigators at research institutions like UK must recruit participants willing to contribute to science, while often reaping the benefits of advanced treatment for themselves, and gaining access to top clinicians and the latest medical information.
The Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) is one of the centers serving research at UK. Additionally, many researchers throughout the university are engaged in clinical research under their own auspices. The CCTS provides support and infrastructure, which enable researchers to apply for funding, recruit participants, and access important resources like biostatistics information. In short, the CCTS "makes research happen."
In the video accompanying this article, University of Kentucky researchers, along with clinical trial participants, explain how clinical trials are designed, approved, monitored and regulated by a large body of knowledgeable experts. They give an overview of myths such as "participants are treated as guinea pigs" or "a single researcher is in charge of each experiment" and reveal the facts about modern clinical research.
For more information on participating in clinical trials, visit: www.ccts.uky.edu, www.ukclinicalresearch.com or www.researchmatch.org/about.
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