What rights do I have?

Deciding whether or not to participate

If you are eligible for a clinical study, you will be given information that will help you decide whether or not to take part. As a patient, you have the right to:

• Be told about important risks and benefits.
• Require confidentiality, or having maintained as private all personal medical information and personal identity.
• Know how the researchers plan to carry out the research, how long your participation will take, and where the study will take place.
• Know what is expected of you.
• Know any costs you or your insurers will be responsible for.
• Know if you will receive any financial compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
• Be informed about any medical or personal information that may be shared with other researchers directly involved in the clinical research.
• Talk openly with doctors and ask any questions.

Once you have decided to participate

After you join a clinical research study, you have the right to:

• Leave the study at any time. Participation is strictly voluntary. You can choose not to participate in any part of the research. However, you should not enroll if you do not plan to complete the study.
• Receive any new information that might affect your decision to be in the study.
• Continue to ask questions and get answers.
• Maintain your privacy. Neither your name nor any other identifying information will appear in any reports based on the study.
• Ask about your treatment assignment once the study is completed, if you participated in a study that randomly assigned you to a treatment group.

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