Clinical trials
Participate as a patient or volunteer in clinical trials that drive new treatments, help improve people's quality of life, and contribute to the advancement of medicine.
At Ribera we actively participate in clinical research. We offer our patients access to new treatments, diagnostic techniques, and innovative solutions that can contribute to improving their quality of life. of people before they are available on the market, under the highest scientific rigor.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a medical investigation. which is done, in most cases, on a drug, although medical devices and novel diagnostic or therapeutic techniques are also studied or that have never been tested on people before for that purpose.
The goal of clinical trials is to study the effects of an innovative treatment on humans, to determine its efficacy and safety.
Thanks to clinical trials, Medicine is advancing and It is possible to offer new therapeutic alternatives to patients who, in some cases, They need options other than the treatments already available.
At Ribera Salud we conduct research to bring the medicine of the future closer to today's patients.
What are the advantages of participating in a clinical trial?
First, Participating in a clinical trial contributes to the advancement of treatment for many diseases and helps us to understand them better. But it is also an opportunity to access to new treatments for people who have exhausted all possible therapies for their disease.
In fact, for certain patients for whom existing treatments are ineffective, participating in a clinical trial may be their only chance for improvement.
Why are clinical trials important?
Clinical trials help to:
Develop new treatments
Improve the effectiveness of existing therapies
Advances in the early diagnosis of diseases
Personalizing healthcare
To improve the quality of life of patients
To generate knowledge that is useful for all of society
Participate in a clinical trial
Participating in a clinical trial can offer certain patients the opportunity to access innovative treatments under close and specialized medical supervision.
Participation is always voluntary. and requires prior assessment by the research team. Not everyone can participate in every study, as each trial has specific inclusion and exclusion criteria defined in its protocol.
What does participation entail?
When a person participates in a clinical trial:
✓ Receive detailed information about the study
✓ Sign an informed consent form before participating
✓ It is being evaluated by a medical research team
✓ Follow a schedule of visits, check-ups, or tests.
✓ You can get answers to your questions throughout the entire process
✓ You can leave the study if you wish
El target It is important that each participant clearly understands what the trial involves, what benefits it may have, and what implications their participation will have.
Active clinical trials at Ribera Salud
Find studies currently open for participation and see if any of them might be suitable for your clinical situation.
At Grupo Sanitario Ribera we have active clinical trials in different medical areas, aimed at investigating new options for diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of diseases.
You can view the available studies and filter by specialty, pathology, hospital, location, or trial status.
I want to participate as a patient or volunteer
Some clinical trials involve patients with a specific disease. In other cases, Healthy volunteers can participate, provided they meet the criteria established in the study protocol.
A volunteer is a person without any known major health problems who participates in clinical trials with the aim of contributing to the advancement of science and the development of new knowledge.
A volunteer contributes to the advancement of medical research helping to generate knowledge about new treatments, procedures or ways to prevent and diagnose diseases.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, you can View active studies here or leave us your details so that the relevant team can assess your request and inform you if there is a suitable study for you.
How to participate in a clinical trial in Ribera
1
You inform yourself
Check active trials or register as a patient or healthy volunteer
2
They evaluate you
The medical team checks if you meet the study criteria.
3
They inform you
You receive all the trial information in a clear and personalized way.
4
You are aware
You sign the informed consent voluntarily
5
You participate
You receive continuous medical monitoring throughout the study
Phases of a clinical trial
Clinical trials are usually organized in different phases, depending on the stage of development the treatment is in or investigated intervention.
Phase I
The goal is to evaluate the safety of the new drug in humans, and this is being carried out in a small group of people. Tolerance, absorption, and safe dosage, among other factors, are being studied.
Phase II
Preliminary information on the drug's efficacy is being sought, as well as further information on its safety. To this end, the drug is being tested on a small group of patients.
Phase III
This is the final step before drug approval, during which the drug is administered to a larger number of patients to confirm its efficacy and safety and to determine the incidence of any potential side effects. These results are then compared with other standard treatments and with a placebo. Once this phase is completed, if the results are favorable, regulatory authorities approve its release to the market, and the new drug is ready for use.
Stage IV
Once the drug is being administered, the effects on the disease are studied, as well as the long-term side effects.
Types of clinical trials
In some clinical trials, participants are divided into groups, with some volunteers receiving the new drug and others receiving the standard treatment or a placebo. Patients' or researchers' knowledge of the intervention can influence the evaluation of the response.
Depending on the knowledge of the patients or researchers, clinical trials can be classified as follows:
Open or not blind
Both the patient and the researcher are aware of the treatment being received.
Simple blind
Only the researcher knows the treatment being given to each group of patients, but the people do not know if they are receiving the drug or the placebo.
Double-blind
Neither patients nor researchers know what treatment each group is receiving. This has the advantage of being the most objective trial, as it cannot be influenced by any vested interests.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clinical Trials
Can I participate as a healthy volunteer?
Yes, some trials may require healthy volunteers. In these cases, a pre-trial screening is also performed, and the same safety and consent criteria apply. You can register as a volunteer participant. here.
How long do they last?
It will depend on each trial, but in any case it will be information that will be provided before the study begins.
Can anyone participate?
No, not everyone can participate in a clinical trial. Depending on the type of trial, specialists will require characteristics related to the disease being studied, as well as other information concerning general health and medical history.
Can I quit whenever I want?
Yes, participation in a trial is voluntary, so if a patient wishes to withdraw, they can do so freely. There is no need to give a reason or provide any justification.
What is a placebo?
This is a substance with no pharmacological activity, but with the same appearance as the drug being studied in the clinical trial. It is administered to some participants to compare its effect with that of the drug being evaluated. The aim is to rule out therapeutic effects due to the sensation of being treated.
Will I know if I'm being given the drug or the placebo?
As a general rule, this information is only given after the trial has ended, in order to prevent this knowledge from influencing the response to the treatment.
Will I get paid to participate?
It depends on the type of trial and its conditions. In some studies, participation costs may be reimbursed, but this will always be communicated beforehand.
Are clinical trials safe?
It is essential to clarify that before a drug or medical device is included in a clinical trial, the research must be approved by a Research Ethics Committee composed of various healthcare professionals, legal professionals, and patient representatives. This committee assesses whether the potential benefits of the research outweigh the risks of the proposed interventions.
Furthermore, before any clinical trial is conducted, medicines or medical devices undergo a preclinical phase of experimentation in which all basic aspects of safety and toxicity are measured. This information is then submitted for evaluation by the relevant national authorities, such as the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products.
Finally, in the clinical trial, all possible measures are taken to ensure the safety of those who participate, for which continuous tests and visits are carried out with blood tests, physical examinations, diagnostic imaging procedures, interviews and telephone contact with the medical investigator in charge of the clinical trial.
Is it dangerous to participate in a trial?
Despite the advantages for a patient of participating in a clinical trial, it's important to understand that they are not without risks, as they are designed precisely to determine the effects of a new treatment. Generally, these risks are minor and only cause slight discomfort, although in very specific cases, immediate attention may be needed during follow-up.
I want to participate as a patient or volunteer
Check out the active clinical trials of the Ribera Healthcare Group or leave us your details so we can inform you if there is a study suitable for you.
Registration as a patient or volunteer
Leave us your contact information and briefly tell us about your interest in participating. Our team will review your application and, if there is a clinical trial that matches your profile, we will contact you with more information.
