Use this page to find answers to common questions about BMU CTR.
Basics
What is it?
BMU CTR is an organized, searchable list of clinical research studies. To learn more, read the About BMU CTR page.
What can I find here?
You can find many different kinds of research studies on BMU CTR. Some studies are testing drugs, devices, and treatments to see if they are safe; and other studies collect health information on people without giving any treatments. Many studies are looking for participants, but not all of them. There are studies that have been completed, studies that have results, studies that were stopped before they were finished, and studies whose status is unknown.
What can I do here?
You can search for a clinical study and learn more about clinical research. You can't sign up for a clinical study from BMU CTR, but you can find the information you need to learn how to join a study. Before considering whether to participate in a clinical study, you should talk to your health care provider.
Am I a patient or a participant?
(From: The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Glossary; Toolkit for Patient-Focused Therapy Development)
A patient is any individual with or at risk of a specific health condition, whether or not [that person] receives any therapy to prevent or treat that condition. Patients are the individuals who directly experience the benefits and harms associated with medical products.
A participant in a clinical study is not necessarily a patient, but a patient in a clinical trial is a participant. Although often used interchangeably as a synonym for participant, a healthy volunteer is not a patient.
Can BMU CTR answer questions about the study information?
Registry Office staff can't answer any questions about a specific study. The study information on BMU CTR is provided by the organization or person that starts and controls the study. That organization or person is responsible for making sure that the studies they list on BMU CTR follow all the applicable laws, regulations and registry policies and for submitting complete, accurate, and up-to-date information. To learn more about a specific clinical study, use the contact information in the study record to reach out to the Study Contact.
Can BMU CTR help me participate in a study?
BMU CTR cannot help you join or participate in a study. If a study is looking for participants, you can use the contact information on the study record to learn if you can participate in a particular study.
Does BMU CTR conduct research or select study locations?
No, BMU CTR does not conduct research or select study locations. Clinical research is conducted by a person or organization trying to answer questions about health and disease. The people or organizations that plan and control clinical studies provide the information found on BMU CTR either voluntarily or to meet registration requirements. Those organizations also select the locations where their research will be done.
Search
How do I find a study that I'm interested in?
On the home page:
- Use the Condition/disease filter and enter only one condition at a time. Most studies are only researching one condition.
- In the Study status filter, select the button for "Recruiting and not yet recruiting studies" if you are looking for studies to join.
- In the Location filter, enter a facility, city, district or country where you are willing to travel.
- Use More filters to add more information to your search. For example, you can filter studies by age, sex, the start date of the study, and phase. Use the Intervention/treatment filter to search by treatment. Use the filters that are most important to you.
On the Search results page, look through the list of studies to choose studies you are interested in.
What if I don't get any search results for the condition I am interested in?
Try checking the spelling. BMU CTR matches the words you type, so you can also try a shorter word or another name for the condition. If you still get no results, it is possible there is currently not any research on the condition you are interested in. You can check back occasionally to see if any new studies have been added.
How can I find the results of a study?
You can search for studies with results using the Study results filter under More filters on the home page or under Refine search — all filters on the Search results page. See How to Search for Studies with Results for more information. Study results can sometimes be difficult to understand, so it is recommended that you review them with your health care provider.
Contacting the study
How do I contact a study?
After opening a study record, look for the Sponsor & contacts and Locations sections to find the contact details for someone who can answer questions about the study.
I contacted a study but I never heard back. What can I do?
The information on a study record may not be up to date. If you don’t hear back from the Study Contact after trying several times, the study may be completed at that location or the contact information may have changed. You can try contacting another location in the study record or look for similar studies. You may also talk to your health care provider about other clinical research options.
Why don't I see contact information in the study record I'm interested in?
Study contact information is only available for studies that are looking for participants. If you do not see it, it's because the study is not actively recruiting patients. To find studies that are recruiting, you can filter your search results using the Study status filter and selecting "Recruiting and not yet recruiting studies."
I can't find contact information for a study location, even though the study is recruiting participants. What can I do?
Some studies only have a single contact for the whole study instead of a contact for each individual location. You can find this information in the study record under the Sponsor & contacts section, labeled as "Study Contact." Use the email or phone number found there to reach out to someone who can answer questions about the study.
Study location
What if a study is not being conducted in my location?
Study locations are selected by the organization or person who initiates the study. Sometimes additional study locations are added over time, so you can continue to check the study record for updates. You can also contact the study to find out if there is a plan to add more locations. In some cases, you may need to be willing to travel to a study location, and you can contact the study to see if you can get reimbursed for your travel expenses.
Do I need to live near the study site to participate in a clinical trial?
It depends on the study design. Study participation details are determined by the organization or person who started the study. Use the contact information in the study record to ask questions about the options for participating in a study in person or remotely.
Study participation
How do I find out if I can participate in a study?
On the Search results page, click on the title of the study you are interested in. Review the participation criteria in the Eligibility section to see if you can join based on your age, sex, health conditions, and other factors. Check the Locations section to see if there is a location that works for you. It is also helpful to discuss the study details with your health care provider to make sure the study is right for you.
If I find a study I am interested in joining, what should I do next?
Under the Sponsor & contacts and Locations sections in the study record, use the email or phone number to contact someone who can answer questions about joining the study. Also see How to Join a Study.
The study I am interested in is labeled "Not Yet Recruiting" and does not include contact information, what can I do?
Contact information will be added once the study begins recruiting participants. You can save the study to your Saved Studies and continue to check the study for updates.
Does participating in a clinical study cost money? Can I get paid for participating in a study?
To learn if a study pays participants for their time and travel, or if it has any associated costs, reach out to the Study Contact, using the information found in the study record details under the Sponsor & contacts section. The study records on BMU CTR don't provide information about costs or payments that might be associated with a study.
I have questions about the participation (eligibility) criteria of a study, who can I ask?
Your health care provider can answer questions about the eligibility criteria for a research study, and whether or not you might be a fit for the study. You can also reach out to the Study Contact to ask specific questions about the eligibility criteria (or any other questions you may have). You can find the Study Contact using the information found in the study record details under the Sponsor & contacts section.
What if I find several studies that I want to participate in?
You will need to contact the Study Contact for each study to see if you are eligible to participate. It is important to note that a person can typically only participate in one research study at a time.
What questions should I ask about research participation?
You can talk to your health care provider and the Study Contact about what you should know about participating in a research study. See also Learn About Clinical Studies.
How do I sign up for a study on BMU CTR?
You cannot directly sign up for a study on BMU CTR or apply for a clinical trial on BMU CTR. BMU CTR is a library of studies with information provided by the organization or person who started the study. You can search for a clinical study on BMU CTR, but you need to contact the study directly to learn about signing up.
Will BMU CTR match me up with a study?
BMU CTR is a searchable library of studies and can't match you with a study. BMU CTR does not collect or store information about people for the purposes of matching them with a study and doesn't contact anyone about participating in a study.
I received an email/text/social media notification for a clinical study, and there is a link that takes me to BMU CTR. Can BMU CTR answer questions about the study for me?
If you received a message about a clinical study, you will need to contact the sender for more information about the study. BMU CTR does not send out communications about studies, advertise studies, or answer questions about a specific study.
Can I communicate directly with BMU CTR if I have a question or feedback?
You can contact the Registry Office through the Support page. BMU CTR can't answer questions about specific studies, connect you with a specific study, or help you join a study.
Health conditions
How can I learn more about a specific health condition?
There are resources outside of BMU CTR that you can use to learn more about specific health conditions, and your health care provider can also help. Please check out this list of resources related to enrolling in a trial, clinical research, and health conditions.
Information about clinical research
What are the benefits and risks of clinical research? Are clinical studies safe?
If you are worried about safety or the risks of participation, the informed consent form for the study may provide you with the information you need, or you can ask the Study Contact to review the risks and benefits with you. Other resources on general clinical research safety and protections in place for participants can be found on our Learn About Clinical Studies page.
Where else can I find information about clinical research?
There are several online resources available that can provide you with more information about clinical studies and help you find a study that you might be interested in. Some of these include:
- World Health Organization: International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP)
- Patient Resources
You might also find information about participating in clinical studies on the websites of pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, patient support organizations, or clinical trial matching services.
How can I find out if a drug or treatment is approved for use?
Drugs and treatments are approved by the relevant regulatory authority in each country. Ask your health care provider or check with the relevant regulatory authority to find out whether a drug or treatment is approved where you live.