Overview Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. Each study answers scientific questions and tries to find better ways to prevent, screen for, diagnose or treat a disease. Clinical trials may include participants at one or two highly specialized centers or they may involve hundreds of locations at the same time. Annually, more than three million people take part in 80,000 industry and government-sponsored clinical trials. However, an estimated 90% of clinical trials are delayed due, in part, to unfulfilled volunteer enrollment. Three out of four people state that they have little or no knowledge about the clinical research enterprise and the participation process. Clinical Research Coordinators play a role in informing the public and potential volunteers about the purpose, benefits, risks, procedures, alternative options, privacy and confidentiality of their participation. They maintain a strong relationship with subjects involved in clinical trials.
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