Volunteer as a participant
Participate as a volunteer in research. Your participation will go a long way towards improving the lives of many people living in Africa.
- What is a Clinical Trial?
- A clinical trial is a scientific study designed to test the safety and effectiveness of new medical treatments, procedures, or devices. It's a critical step in the development of treatments to ensure they are both safe for people to use and effective in treating or preventing diseases. Clinical trials can study many different types of treatments, including new drugs, vaccines, medical devices, and lifestyle changes.
- Screening for Clinical Trials
- Before joining a clinical trial, participants undergo a screening process to determine if they are suitable for the study. This process varies depending on the trial but generally includes a review of your medical history, current health status, and sometimes, specific medical tests. Screening ensures that the trial is safe for you and helps researchers gather accurate information.
- What to Expect as a Volunteer
- As a volunteer, you can expect to be closely monitored by a medical team throughout the trial. This team will provide detailed information about the study, the treatment being tested, and any potential risks or side effects. You'll undergo various assessments and tests to monitor your health and the effectiveness of the treatment. Participation can vary from a single visit to multiple visits over weeks or months.
- Healthy Volunteers
- Healthy volunteers are individuals without the condition being studied who choose to participate in clinical trials. They play a vital role in research, helping scientists learn more about how new treatments work in the human body. Participation as a healthy volunteer usually involves undergoing tests or treatments under closely monitored conditions.
- Patient Volunteer
- Patient volunteers are individuals with the condition or disease being studied. Participating in a clinical trial offers the opportunity to access new treatments before they are widely available and contribute to medical research that may benefit others with the same condition in the future. As a patient volunteer, your experience with the condition provides invaluable insights into the study, helping researchers develop more effective treatments.