What is Clinical Research?

• What is the best type of diet for somebody with Crohns disease?
• What are the mental health issues caused by chronic illness in children?
• Does a new injected medicine work better than current medicines for severe asthma?

These are all questions that could be answered by doing a research study, also called clinical research.

Research usually involves a group of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and sometimes scientists, trying to answer the question.  The most important group is, of course, the patients!  Some research needs children with a very specific type of disease or illness.  Other research needs children with certain difficulties.  And some types of research need healthy children!

Every study is different, so it’s impossible to be exact! Most will involve visits to the hospital, and being examined by a doctor. Some studies might involve blood tests, urine tests, saliva tests, exercise tests, breathing tests, different types of scans. Drug studies might include being given a new type of medicine, either as a pill or sometimes an injection.  Everything is always explained before agreeing to take part in a study, so you know exactly what will/might happen.

NO! Taking part in clinical research is always a choice – and you can say no without it affecting the high level of care already provided to you/your child.  You can change your mind too, if you agree to take part in research but then realise it wasn’t what you expected – it’s always fine to say you don’t want to take part any more.

If you/your child attend the hospital regularly, speak to your clinical team to find out more about the research studies that they may already be involved in.