Taking part in a study is always voluntary. You can say no, and you can change your mind later without giving a reason and without affecting your care.
Before you agree, you should be given written information and time to read it. Ask how many visits are involved, how long each one takes, whether travel costs are covered and who to contact if something goes wrong.
Every study involving patients in the UK is reviewed by an independent research ethics committee before it can start. That review looks specifically at whether the burden on participants is justified.
It is fair to ask what will happen to the results, and whether you will be told what the study found. Good research teams plan for this from the start.
If something here worries you
This is general information. For advice about your own health or medicines, speak to your GP or pharmacist.
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