Most people have heard of clinical trials, but I wonder how many of us have given much thought about being in one? It sounds like a daunting experience, but it's a good way to play an active role in our health care, be exposed to new, cutting edge treatments and help with scientific data. Clinical trials are biomedical or health-related research studies in humans that follow a pre-determined protocol.

Each clinical trial has a control group. This group is similar to a "yardstick," if you will and measures how the study process is viewed and reported. One group is typically given a new drug or treatment, the other group - the control group -receives the usual or standard medication that treats the particular illness, or they get the placebo to treats the particular illness. A placebo is a non-active medication, in pill, liquid or powder form, that has no useful treatment value.

Check out our updated listings of Current Migraine and Headache Clinical Trials.

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© Nancy Harris Bonk

Last updated March 28, 2010.