Clinical trials offer you a chance to try new treatments. Should you participate in a clinical trial? Learn more about how clinical trials work. Courtesy: Mayo Clinic staff You may have heard about clinical trials — studies of possible new treatments or medications — but wonder what exactly they are and if one might be right for you. Choosing to participate in a clinical trial can be a complex decision. You first need to understand what clinical trials are and how they're used to test new treatments. What are clinical trials? Clinical trials are research studies designed to find answers to specific health questions. Clinical trials often look at new drugs or new combinations of drugs (new or old), new surgical procedures or devices, or new ways to use existing treatments. Clinical trials can also look at other aspects of care, such as: Preventing diseases Screening for and diagnosing health problems Quality of life for people with chronic illnesses Before a new approach c
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