There are many different types of clinical studies and trials in San Diego for interested participants to pursue, but most fall into two main categories: observational trials and interventional trials. Your medical history and purpose for participating will help determine which trial type is right for you, although there are other factors to take into consideration as well. Here’s a breakdown of the two main types of clinical trials to help you decide.
Observational Clinical Trial
The purpose of an observational trial is not to test potential treatments, but to develop new ideas about certain diseases or medical disorders and how they might be treated. While participants may receive diagnostic, therapeutic, or other types of interventions, researchers do not assign participants to specific interventions.
Cohort studies and case control studies are two distinct types of observational studies. Cohort studies involve a group of people who are linked in some way, such as by age. Case control studies compare people with an existing health issue to people without it, and how each group reacts to certain exposures or treatments.
Observational trials are commonly used after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug or treatment. Such studies are often required in order to continue monitoring the effectiveness and safety of the drug.
Overall, observational studies typically take less time for participants, and usually involve questionnaires. Additionally, participants are able to be involved in more than one observational study at once because the studies do not involve changes to a treatment plan.
Interventional Clinical Trials
The purpose of an interventional trial is to test a treatment method, which can be any kind of treatment, from a drug or to an exercise to a surgical procedure. Therapeutic trials and preventative trials are the two main types of interventional trials. Therapeutic trials assess the effectiveness of a treatment in diminishing symptoms and preventing recurrence. Preventative trials are conducted to evaluate whether a treatment reduces the risk of developing a certain disease, such as vaccine trials.
Participants in interventional trials are randomly assigned to one of two or more groups. One group receives treatments or interventions, and the other group receives no intervention at all or a placebo. Researchers use these trials to evaluate the outcomes and effects on participant health in each group.
Unlike in observational trials, participants of interventional trials cannot participate in more than one at a time.
Other trial categories
Aside from choosing between an observational trial and an interventional trial, potential participants should also consider the differences between inpatient and outpatient studies. Outpatient studies involve relatively short visits to the research facility, usually a matter of hours, although multiple visits are often required. Inpatient studies require a longer stay in the facility, usually overnight or longer. In many cases, participants of both outpatient and inpatient research studies receive compensation for time and travel.
Observational and interventional trials at Synergy San Diego
Synergy San Diego is committed to finding solutions to a wide range of diseases and disorders, and we have almost 20 years of experience running clinical trials. If you’re interested in learning about our current trials or your eligibility to participate, fill out our contact form or call us at (619) 303-6130.