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Preparing for my clinical trial

Clinical trial preparation involves building up your support network.

Living with an illness or condition can sometimes be hard work, full of physical and emotional ups and downs. It can be so much easier when you have a solid network of people close to you who empathize, understand your condition, and who truly care about how you feel, on good days and bad.

Your network becomes doubly important when you join a clinical trial, as it has its own set of demands. The following are ways you can build and solidify your personal network — the people who can support and sustain you in your daily life and well beyond the clinical trial.

Support From Loved Ones and People Closest to You

  • Significant other/life partner
  • Children
  • Parents
  • Other relatives
  • Friends
  • Coworkers

People in Your External Support Network Who Care for Your Health and Well-Being

  • Primary care physician
  • Physical therapist (e.g., massage therapist, physiotherapist, etc.)
  • Trainer
  • Psychotherapist
  • Spiritual advisor
  • Patient support groups and patient advocacy groups
  • Trial doctor
  • Other members of the research team

Preparing for Your Clinical Trial

Once you’ve decided on your network, honesty and communication are key to letting these people actually support you. Clinical trial patients have told us they sometimes held their feelings in because they thought they might be perceived as needy or a burden — but people can’t help you with something they don’t know about. Reach out and let them in. The process can be trying, but preparing for your clinical trial also takes strength and determination, and your family, friends, colleagues, and caregivers need to hear that from you.

The people closest to you are crucial to your support network. Often, they want to help, but just aren’t sure how. Help them help you by clearly explaining what you’re doing and why — that the trial’s a commitment you want to honor, and that it involves appointments, journal work, etc. Don’t be afraid to say it might temporarily change life at home, and that you’ll be counting on them for their support.

Things Your Support Network Can Do:

 

What happens in a clinical trial?

What happens in a clinical trial?

Learn about the clinical trial experience before, during, and after the trial is complete.

Should I Participate in a Clinical Trial? Basic Questions to Ask Yourself Before Signing Up

Answer 10 quick questions to help decide if participating in a clinical trial makes sense for you.

SCREENING VISIT: A VIRTUAL TOUR

Experience a virtual tour that takes you inside an example of a clinical research trial site and shows you the kind of clinic environment, people and activities you may encounter during a screening visit.

SEARCH ACTIVE TRIALS

To read about clinical research for a specific health condition, or to search by disease area, please view the list of active clinical trials.