How can I find out about taking part in current clinical trials?
There are not any official ways to register your interest in taking part in trials or other types of research study, although some research centres may have their own databases – ask your ophthalmologist. However, all credible clinical studies will be registered on a publicly accessible online database.
The registry for studies being conducted in the UK is called the NIHR UK Clinical Trials Gateway.
There are other public registries or lists of trials that may include UK centres:
- Europe – EU Clinical Trials Register
- USA – National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Trial Registry
If you are interested in taking part in a clinical study you will need a referral from your doctor and you should discuss the study you are interested in with them to understand:
- Whether you have the form of the condition being studied
- What the purpose of the study is (i.e. not all trials are testing new treatments)
- Whether you meet the enrolment criteria
- Whether you can make the time commitment to take part
After you have been referred, the research team would contact you if there is an appropriate opportunity for you to take part in the study, but will not be able to guarantee an opportunity to be enrolled.
A credible clinical trial will never ask you to pay to take part.
