Insurance

The drugs used in clinical trials are made to the highest standards of purity and quality. Drug companies are insured so that if a patient is damaged by some unforeseen event due to the drug, compensation can be paid. It is rare for patients to be harmed by trial drugs although some may cause unpleasant side effects.

Trials funded by the Department of Health or the UK Medical Research Council may not have this kind of insurance, but a payment would be made if something did go wrong.

Individual NHS trusts are responsible for insuring themselves against damage caused by local studies, and research ethics committees would refuse approval for trials where there is no insurance.

Before giving your consent to taking part in a clinical trial you may wish to find out exactly what arrangements have been made for compensation. All compensation agreements follow the guidelines from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).