What Kinds of Research Can You Participate In?
Research involving people is called clinical research. There are two types of clinical research studies: observational studies and clinical trials.
Observational studies are designed to collect information from people and compare that data over time. This helps them learn how different behaviors or lifestyles relate to health and disease and to understand how a disease progresses over time.
Clinical trials are a type of research that tests new drugs, medical devices, surgical procedures, or behavior and lifestyle changes, such as exercise. Clinical trials may also test ways to detect and diagnose diseases and to better care for those living with diseases. Researchers determine if what is being tested, called an intervention, is safe and effective by comparing results in the test group to those in the control group.
The Alzheimers.gov Clinical Trials Finder includes listings for both kinds of clinical research studies.

