We hope this site will prompt more conversations about the COVID-19 research news. Being well-informed can help you make the choices that are best for you.
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This website is for educational purposes only. Examples of how clinical research applies to COVID-19 may be used, but this is not a COVID-19 information source. For answers to questions about COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health websites. If you are searching for a clinical trial, please visit the recruitment section of our website.
Available Informational Posts
How do people find clinical trials for COVID-19 and other conditions? | The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve every day. Many organizations are working to find the best way to address this disease. Clinical trials will help find the best ways to prevent and treat this infection.
I heard there was a Phase 1 study to find a vaccine for COVID-19. What are the phases of a clinical trial? | The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with the U.S. Government and international partners to learn about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), find treatments, and to create a vaccine.
What questions should I ask before signing up for a clinical research study? | As the world deals with COVID-19, researchers are looking for the best ways to prevent and treat this new disease. Research volunteers will be essential to getting answers. There are important questions to ask before signing up for a clinical research study.
How are participants protected in research? | Research to find ways to prevent and treat COVID-19 (the new coronavirus) can’t be done without the people who volunteer to participate. Making sure research is safe for the people who take part is a top priority for researchers. All research with humans must be approved before it starts. The group that reviews human research is called the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
How can anecdotal information help medical research? | The CDC has guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Researchers are looking for the best ways to prevent and treat this disease. Many ideas have surfaced in the news and on social media. People are asking, “What really works?” Some of the answers may start with anecdotal information.
What is randomization? How can it help in COVID-19 clinical trials? | Clinical trials find new and better ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat illness. These studies find out if new medical products really work. They also make sure the products are safe for most people to use. Some clinical trials for COVID-19 will use randomization.
Henrietta Lacks changed history in more ways than one | In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Her cells were used for research without her consent.
Why do we need diverse groups of research volunteers? | Having diverse groups gives confidence that research results will apply to a wide range of people. This will help make sure everyone can get the treatment that is best for them.
Don’t let the past hold back the future of health | From 1932 to 1972 a research study, now known as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, caused harm to black men. Men in this study were not told they had syphilis. When penicillin was discovered as a cure, they were not given the treatment.
What has changed since Tuskegee? | Shocking examples of research abuse prompted gradual changes in the way people are protected. The U.S. Office of Human Research Protections was established to protect the rights, welfare, and well-being of research participants. Many safeguards are in place today.
How can placebos help find effective treatments for diseases like COVID-19? | When there is no known treatment, research may compare a new treatment to a placebo. This approach may be used to try to find a COVID-19 vaccine. In this case, some people would get the vaccine and some would get the placebo.
GHUCCTS is a research program in the DC Metropolitan area that seeks to improve human health. Learn more about what we do here.