What are the risks of participating in a study?

Always find out if the benefits outweigh the risks by asking your doctor to give you a clear idea of the benefits and risks that you face.

Patient risks include:

• unknown side effects or other risks that might be worse than those from standard treatments

• treatment may not work for you even if it helps others

•  You may need more doctor visits or testing, which may require more time and travel

• You may not know or have a choice about which treatment you get

• Insurers may not cover all costs of the clinical trial.