Clinical Trials

Summit Medical Group provides state-of-the-art medical advances and technology by offering novel treatment options to our patients through our Clinical Trials program.

Our Research Review Committee is comprised of Summit Medical Group physicians and staff who manage all medical clinical trials, determine the scientific/ethical merits, and identify the potential impact of clinical research on patients.

Click here if you are interested in participating in a clinical trial involving an investigational drug for grass pollen.

What is a clinical trial?

Clinical trials involve patients (often referred to as subjects) who might benefit from new treatments that are not yet available. Researchers use clinical trials to test a medication, device, treatment approach, or medication dose. Most trials include a panel of experts, also known as investigators, who decide how best to use the new treatment. The investigators also identify the types of patients who are likely to benefit most from the treatment. To be eligible for a clinical trial, the patients must fit certain criteria.

During a clinical trial, the researchers track and make note of all the changes (data) subjects experience as a result of the treatment they are given. The data are then used to make decisions about whether to use the medication, device, or treatment for a wide range of patients.

Clinical trial subjects are volunteers. They are not paid for participating in a clinical trial.

In general, clinical trials help determine whether:

• A new medication, device, treatment, or dose is safe and effective for a specific type of patient
• An already marketed medication or device can be used for a different disease or condition than the one for which it was originally intended
• A new medication, device, or treatment is more effective than previous treatments for a disease or condition

Medical clinical trials also sometimes compare more than one medication, device, or treatment to determine which is the most effective.