Patient Information

Patient Information

What is clinical research?

Clinical research studies are designed to answer specific medical questions. Some clinical research studies test new drugs or new combinations of drugs, new surgical procedures or devices, or new ways to use existing treatments. Other research studies might involve long-term observation of patients to better understand how health or diseases progress. The goal of clinical research is to discover better ways to treat, prevent, diagnose, or understand human disease.

Who participates in clinical trials?

Both healthy patients and patients with an illness or disease can volunteer to be in a clinical trial. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center offers clinical trials for adult and pediatric patients. Patients who decide to participate in a research study usually must complete the informed consent process before they participate in the clinical trial. 

During the informed consent process, patients are provided with the information they need to make their decision about participating in a clinical trial. Members of the research team meet with the patient and provides them with an informed consent form that explains the details of the study, including the purpose, duration, required procedures, potential risks and benefits, and contact information for the research team. Patients are given time to ask questions, consult with their family, or talk to their doctors before they sign the informed consent document. Participating in a clinical trial is voluntary. Patients can refuse to participate or can withdraw from the study at any time without the loss of any medical benefit to which the patient is entitled. 

How to I join a research study at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center?

You can sign up for a clinical trial by:

1. Physician Referral: Ask your doctor about participating in one of our trials.
2. Phone: Call our clinical research department at (225) 765-7659.
3. Email: Contact our clinical research department at research@fmolhs.org.

If you are a patient at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center or one of our affiliated clinics, you might be asked to participate in a research study. 

Who funds the clinical trial?

Clinical trials at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center are funded by different sources, including pharmaceutical companies, device companies, the National Institutes of Health, or other sponsors. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is committed to ensuring that financial interests or other conflicts of interest do not compromise the protection of research subjects or the integrity of the research findings.    

For more information:

NIH Clinical Research Trials and You: https://www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you/basics