Understand how volunteer participation in clinical research works

Understand how volunteer participation in clinical research works


Collaboration of people in clinical trials is extremely important for the production of vaccines and medicines

Year after year, health and innovation professionals are committed to developing new drugs that can treat diseases and improve the living conditions of the population. After a period of pandemic, the importance of making investments in the health sector has become even more evident, to ensure the creation of new drugs, treatments and vaccines for different types of comorbidities.





Understand how volunteer participation in clinical research works

So much so that it is precisely in this period, in 2020, that the pharmaceutical industry recorded a growth of 26%, compared to 2018, reaching the figure of 129 billion R $ in sales in Brazil, according to research conducted by IQVIA (the world leader in providing information in the clinical sector) available in the Interfarma Guide (Pharmaceutical Research Industry Association) 2022.

Importance of clinical research

To produce a new drug or even a new vaccine, it is necessary to go through several steps up to the final stage. One of these steps that arouses a lot of curiosity – and is crucial when it comes to ensuring that the study is completed successfully – are the clinical research. They are made with volunteers, who receive experimental treatments to be able to evaluate and observe the reactions and effects they cause in humans.

“Clinical trials are essential to ensure that a particular drug, treatment or vaccine is safe and effective for use in humans. The goal is to find therapeutic alternatives for various diseases,” says Fernando de Rezende Francisco, executive director of the Brazilian Association of Clinical Research Organizations Representatives (ABRACRO).

Volunteer selection process

The process of selecting these volunteers depends precisely on the purpose of the research. In the case of a new treatment for a given disease, people who already have a diagnosed clinical condition are selected, and can be recruited into clinics where they already carry out treatments.

“When you do research with healthy people with the aim of testing a new vaccine, for example, the studies are done with people who are not in hospitals. Website, companies and social networks, as long as they are approved by the Ethics Committee”, he points out. Fernando de Rezende Francisco.




Volunteers go through a selection and preparation process to participate in clinical trials

Criteria for participating in surveys

There are criteria for participating in surveys and volunteers go through a selection process to ensure that each of them is able to participate in the Education. In addition, during the preparation period for human experimentation, volunteers are informed about all research objectives and procedures. Only after having clarified all doubts and agreeing to participate do they begin their studies.

“An important point that must be mentioned is that the volunteer does not need to stay until the end of the clinical research, he can withdraw at any time or when the doctor feels that it is no longer necessary to continue with the research. Yes, this is not ideal. , but if the volunteer no longer perceives the value of participating in that process, he is not obliged to stay “, emphasizes Fernando de Rezende Francisco.

Salary for participation in research

Another recurring question when it comes to clinical research is whether the volunteer is paid to participate in the research. In Brazil it is forbidden to pay participants clinical studies, to avoid that the volunteer considers his participation only as a form of income or work, which is not consistent with the main objective of the project. In some countries, such as the United States, volunteers can be paid.

However, it is guaranteed by law in Brazil that participants are reimbursed for their transportation and food expenses. “It is important that the volunteer is aware that he is collaborating on something bigger, like discovering cures and saving lives. In addition, he will have access to treatments that are not yet available ”, concludes the executive of ABRACRO.

By Renato Lopes

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Source: Terra

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