For

Parents

Clinical Trials Explanation

All children have the right to the best medical treatment possible. Clinic trials research is our best tool for finding new treatments to help sick children.

Making a Difference

The mission of SPeCTr is to help children and families across Kansas take part in clinical trials. Families living hours from a city can join the team trying to discover the safest and most effective treatments for children. Without clinical trials for children, doctors and other health care providers would never know for sure if medicines and other treatments that worked for adults would also work for kids.

Benefits to Participating in Research

By participating in clinical trials, children can be part of a discovery team that brings new treatments and possible benefits to children everywhere. Children who participate in clinical trials are followed closely by highly trained researchers, which may include their own doctor.

Risks to Participating in Research

Clinical trials can include risks. Sometimes treatments can cause side effects that may require more frequent visits to your doctor or extra tests. Sometimes new treatments being tested in a clinical trial are not better than the current treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is responsible for the cost?

    Many clinical trials will have no cost to you and may reimburse you for your time participating.


    For some, there may be extra costs related to your participation, some of which are not covered by your health insurance. In this case, the costs may be covered by the sponsor of the trial. You should talk to the study team and your doctor about the cost before you decide to participate in a clinical trial.

  • How are the participants protected in a clinical trial?

    If you decide to participate in a clinical trial, you will be protected in many ways by many oversight entities, including:


    • The Institutional Review Board (IRB) makes sure that clinical trials are ethical and safe and that participants' rights are protected.
    • The Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) is part of the U.S. Federal Government and it oversees and guides IRBs. They make sure that the rights, welfare and well-being of research participants are protected.
    • The Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) is comprised of clinical and research experts who are not part of the study team and who review a trial's progress to identify side-effects and safety problems that may require a study to stop early.
    • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a part of the U.S. Federal Government that oversees clinical trials related to new medicines and medical devices. They ensure that these products are thoroughly tested and are safe and effective before release to the general public.

  • What happens after a clinical trial is completed?

    After a clinical trial is completed, the researchers examine all the information collected during the study before making a decision about the meaning of results and about further testing.


    Many times, the results are published in scientific or medical journals. Additionally, clinical trials are required to be registered at clinicaltrials.gov. This website will also include results once they are available/published.

Our Goal

The goal of SPeCTr is to improve opportunities for children in rural and underserved areas of Kansas to participate in clinical trials. We are part of a National Network!

Ready to Enroll Your Child in a Clinical Trial?

For more information on SPeCTr research, call us directly at 913-588-6393 or fill out our contact form here and one of our team members will be in touch.

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