Now more than ever it becomes very clear why clinical trials are so essential to our health and the development of medical innovation. Living within a global pandemic since the beginning of the year, a lot of people have become aware of the fact that clinical trials actually exist. This was not always the case. In recent years, around 50% of Americans weren’t even aware of the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial. With more attention on the subject now, let us dive deeper into why clinical trials are so important.
Clinical trials save lives
The most important reason why clinical trials are so important is that research studies can be life-saving for millions of people living with a variety of different health conditions. Critics of clinical trials often see clinical trials as a profit-driven “experiments” to make pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and medical device companies even more money. However, what they forget is the fact that clinical trials have actually saved the lives of millions already. Did you know that diseases like polio or measles have almost been completely eradicated in the US thanks to clinical research studies? Age-related death rates for coronary heart disease in the US were also cut in half from 1980 to 2000. This was not a coincidence, but the result of clinical research and new therapies as a result thereof. Without clinical trials, public health in the US would not be where it is today.
Clinical trials drive medical innovation
Researchers are constantly testing new treatment methods, diagnostics, and drugs to find a cure and see how to help people in the safest and most sufficient way to improve quality of life worldwide. If you have for example a disease that is genetic, your participation could end up helping your loved ones by making new treatments available and advancing scientists understanding of the disease. Studies could even lead to the next medical breakthrough and are therefore essential to drive medical innovation.
Behind every drug you take, behind every FDA approved treatment, device and diagnosis, there is a clinical trial. Thousands of patients have volunteered to make this possible, and they are the reason why there were big breakthroughs in the prevention and treatments of illnesses. Without the willingness of these volunteers, many people would have suffered because of disease and/or even died. Clinical trial volunteers are nothing less than heroes who are playing the part in improving the care of all Americans.
Do you want to be part of medical history?
Looking at developments and breakthroughs in medical research over the past couple of years shows how essential clinical trials are to drive innovation in medicine. The developments of new treatments and drugs are only possible through thousands of volunteers that want to make a difference for their health community. This is why medical research needs you. Do you want to learn more about clinical trials and how you can sign up? Read more here.