Clinical trials are essential for developing new treatments, improving existing therapies, and understanding diseases better. But the terminology around them can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks down the most important concepts in a clear and patient friendly way.
What Is a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new medications, treatments, or medical approaches in people. The goal is to find out whether a treatment is safe, effective, and better than what already exists.
Without clinical trials, medical progress simply wouldn’t happen and all the existing therapies today wouldn’t exist if others hadn’t participated in clinical trials.
Why Do Clinical Trials Have Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria?
Every clinical trial has a set of rules that determine who can participate. These rules are not meant to exclude people unfairly, they exist to protect participants and ensure the study produces reliable results.
Inclusion Criteria
These are the conditions you may need to meet to join a study.
Examples:
- Having a specific diagnosis (e.g., HFpEF, narcolepsy, functional dyspepsia)
- Being within a certain age range (e.g., 18–75 years)
- Experiencing certain symptoms
- Taking (or not taking) specific medications
- Having a confirmed test result (e.g., heart insufficiency, gastroscopy, sleep study)
Why they matter:
Inclusion criteria make sure the study focuses on the right group of people. For example: If a study is testing a treatment for HFpEF, it needs participants who actually have HFpEF, not another type of heart failure or heart problems.
Exclusion Criteria
These are reasons why someone might not be able participate in a study.
Examples:
- Having another medical condition that could interfere with the study (e.g., severe kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes)
- Taking medications that could interact with the study treatment
- Being pregnant or breastfeeding
- Having had a recent surgery
- Having a different subtype of the disease than the one being studied
- A risk that participation could be unsafe for you
Why they matter:
Exclusion criteria are there to:
- Protect your safety
- Prevent harmful interactions
- Ensure the results are accurate and meaningful
For example: If a medication hasn’t been tested in people with severe liver disease, the study may exclude those individuals to avoid potential harm.
Even though it can be disappointing to be excluded, these rules are always based on safety and scientific accuracy. Never due to personal judgment.
Other Common Terms Explained
Informed Consent
Before joining a study, you receive all important information: what the study is about, what will happen, possible risks, and your rights. You only participate if you voluntarily sign the consent form.
You can leave the study at any time with no explanation needed.
Placebo
A placebo looks like the real treatment but has no active ingredient. It helps researchers understand whether the new treatment truly works.
Randomisation
Participants are assigned to different groups by chance similar to flipping a coin. This prevents bias and ensures fair comparison.
Blinding
In many studies, participants (and sometimes researchers) don’t know who receives the real treatment or the placebo. This helps keep the results objective.
Why Your Participation Matters
Every questionnaire, interview, and clinical trial helps researchers understand diseases better and develop new treatments. Even if you don’t qualify for a specific study, your interest and engagement still contribute to progress.
You help shape the future of medicine and that matters.
If you are interested in Clinical Trials or want to check your eligibility, please take a look at our current studies here.