As Variants Emerge, COVID Clinical Trials Need Volunteers

Clinical Trials need more volunteers, especially as more variants emerge. Emily Largent spoke to Verywell Health about the importance of clinical trial safeguards and how those protections can foster trust with participants.

From Verywell Health:

Many clinical trials are also closely supervised by a data and safety monitoring board (DSMB). The DSMB is made up of experts on the trial’s targeted condition who periodically look at the results of the study as it is in progress. If the DSMB finds that the experimental treatment is not working or is harming participants, the board will recommend that the trial be stopped right away.

Every clinical researcher is required to monitor participants to make sure they’re safe. These safeguards are an essential part of the research.

These research protections are responses to historical abuses, Largent said, and as a result, we have developed ethical and regulatory guidelines to ensure that trials are conducted with integrity “with the wellbeing of participants front of mind for investigators.”