One of the main benefits of participating in a clinical trial is that patients can gain access to a promising new intervention that is not yet available through their regular healthcare providers. Some interventions in clinical trials may be better than current standard interventions. However, even if participants do not personally benefit from the clinical trial, their participation paves the way for advances in medicine and helps future patients.

Clinical trials have risks. A new intervention has the potential to cause unknown side effects or other health-related risks, or can cause inconveniences such as more frequent office visits and testing, as well as additional time and travel commitments. Before enrolling in a clinical trial, volunteers agree to participate by giving informed consent, described in more detail below.