Questions to ask your doctor

Bring these questions with you so you leave your appointment feeling informed and in control.

These are examples of questions you might want to ask your doctor, research nurse or the trial research team. You don't need to ask them all, just pick the ones that matter most to you.

Questions to ask your doctor or the trial research team

You will have the chance to ask questions before, during and after joining a clinical trial.

Your hospital team or the trials team should make sure that you’re aware of any potential benefits or risks of a trial before you agree to enrol on it, but you may also want to ask things like:

What kind of trial is it?
What is already known about the new treatment or procedure?
How many people are on the trial?
How long is the trial going to run for?
Where is the trial based?
How often will I need to have tests/treatment/visit the trial site?
How will the treatment be given?
What side effects may I get?
Are there any trial support groups I can join, or is there a trial buddy that I can speak to?
Are there any other people from my culture/background on the trial?
Will I get any expenses paid, for example transport to the trial site?
Can I still go on holiday or take time away from the trial?
Will I need to adjust my work/study hours?
Do I need to change anything about my daily life or routine?
Who do I speak to with any further questions or complaints?
Can I tell people about the trial?
If the trial doesn’t work out for me, can I have more/different treatment afterwards?
What are my options instead of a trial?
What will happen to me if I choose not to join the trial, or if I leave the trial after joining?