International Clinical Trials Day is celebrated on May 20, to raise clinical trial awareness and recognize the day that the first clinical trial was started in 1747 by James Lind. On this day each year, we acknowledge and honour clinical researchers, patient partners, and participants and their contributions to improving treatment options and health outcomes for patients.

What is the difference between clinical trials and clinical research?

• Clinical trials study treatments, procedures, or lifestyle approaches in people to determine if they are safe and effective.
• Clinical research involves volunteers or the study of samples they provide, such as blood or tissue.

Clinical trials study prevention (to find new ways to prevent illness), screening (to detect diseases earlier) and treatment (to test new therapies), and are conducted to:

• Understand how treatments work for different people.
• Find new ways to use approved treatments.
• Test new treatments and effectiveness.
• Compare existing treatments and see which works best.

Everyone is impacted by clinical tirals and they can help us learn more about our own health, improve care and treatment as well as help future patients through new discoveries.

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