Participating in Research

Overview

Volunteering to be in a research study is an important decision. Research is the way doctors and scientists learn about new ways to prevent and treat illness in people, and find answers to the many questions about health, disease or human behavior. It is sometimes called “human research” or a “clinical trial.”

There are different ways volunteers participate in research. For example, volunteers may participate by:

  • Completing a questionnaire about their health or behaviors, or answering questions in an interview with researchers.
  • Donating specimens, such as a tube of blood or a tissue sample.
  • Taking part in a clinical research study to find out if new treatments, or new ways of using known treatments, are safe and effective to use in people.

Research may take place in a variety of locations, including a hospital, doctor's office, nursing home, or even a classroom or via an online survey.

Finding a Research Study

These online resources can help you find research studies at UCSF or other institutions.

Before Participating in a Study

Before deciding to participate in a research study, please review these helpful materials:

Research Participant Survey

If you have participated in research at our facilities, please complete our Research Participant Survey . Your feedback will help us evaluate how effective we are in providing information to our research participants. The survey is completely anonymous.

Concerns or Complaints

If you have concerns or complaints, please follow the steps outlined in the Reporting Research Concerns and Complaints page. The HRPP takes all research concerns and complaints very seriously.

Last updated: April 15, 2022