Clinical trials are research studies in which people help doctors find ways to improve health of neurological diseases and disorders. Clinical trials include both intervention and observation. Intervention studies are those in which the research subjects are assigned by the investigator to a treatment or other intervention, and their outcomes are measured. Observational studies are those in which individuals are observed and their outcomes are measured by the investigators. Research is done to try and find scientific answers to prevent, diagnose, or treat neurological disease and disorders. 

Participating in clinical trials greatly benefits all patients because it allows for the patient to play an active role in their own healthcare and gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available. Research can lead to new technologies and treatments. FDA approval of many new treatments for neurological disorders, such as the MERCI clot retriever, would not be possible without testing in clinical trials. 

Several physicians at Renown are conducting exciting research trials right here in our community to evaluate new treatments for neurological disorders and diseases. The Institute for Neurosciences coordinates participation in a number of ongoing national trials.  To learn more about available trials, click here or phone the Institute at 775-982-7397.

Protection for Clinical Trials Participants
The federal government regulates clinical trials to ensure the safety of volunteer participants. In addition, all clinical studies at Renown Health are monitored by an Institutional Review Board (IRB), which reviews all studies in advance and oversees the safety of study participants. The IRB is comprised of medical professionals and laypeople from the local community. IRB members make sure the risks are reasonable when compared to the possible benefits. They also watch the trial progress from beginning to end. This means Renown patients receive top-rate clinical trials which have been deemed safe by a review committee.