How Studies Work
When it comes to participating in clinical research, it’s natural to have questions. We fully expect it. It is our hope that after walking you through the participation process, you will be fully informed with a thorough understanding of all expectations before you agree to participate in a trial. If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to contact a recruiter by phone or email.
Out-patient Clinical Trials
DCR studies are “out-patient” trials meaning you can participate by being seen at one of our facilities and then go home.
Step 1 – Phone Interview
This step is a phone interview with you and one of our recruiters. During this call, a recruiter will ask general questions, including your contact information, height, weight, age, etc. These qualifying questions will determine which of our current studies you may be qualified for as a participant. You can also provide much of this information by completing the application form.
After adding your information into our database, either by you completing our web form or by speaking with a recruiter, your recruiter will then discuss the details of any studies you may qualify to enroll in as a participant, as well as all time commitments, specific dates, research purposes and compensation of the trials.
If you are interested in participating in a suggested trial, your recruiter must then make certain that you are not disqualified from that trial due to any exclusion criteria. You will be asked another series of questions that specifically relate to the study you are volunteering for. The exclusion criteria are established by the study sponsor in order to ensure the safety of volunteers and the accuracy of data collected.
Step 2 – Physical Screening
Before being accepted into any study, you will be given an informed consent form (ICF) to read and review, as well as other important information about the study. You will also complete a full medical history. Once you agree to the terms and conditions of the ICF, you will proceed with a screening.
Our licensed medical physician will give you a physical exam and also answer any study-related questions you may have. Your recruiter will outline the screening schedule at the time of your phone interview. The entire process usually takes 2-3 hours on average.