Once you have successfully completed the screening process, you may become a member of the panel. Once on the panel, you will be sent the dates of forthcoming studies, for which you may be eligible. You will need to send the form back in the pre- paid envelope, to indicate whether or not you are available to do the study. You may also phone to speed up the process if preferred.

If you decide to participate in a study, you will have to attend a ‘Consent Talk’ that is given by the doctor who is involved in the study. The details of all procedures will be explained and you will be informed of any risks. This will be supported by written information. The decision to participate is taken by you, therefore you should not feel obliged to take part. If you choose to take part, you would need a screening medical to ensure that you are in good health and a suitable candidate for that particular study.

Studies are varied in terms of the time and commitment required. It is fair to say that most of our studies run into office hours. With some particular studies you may be required to stay overnight at the unit. Typically you may have to attend the unit on a regular basis for tests which can vary from 20 mins to several hours. Here are a couple of examples of study timetables.

You are limited to either 3 or 4 studies a year depending on the stage of development of the Study Drug.

All your personal information will be treated as confidential, that is, any information that identifies you by name, will be held and processed under secure conditions. Access to that information will be limited to authorised personnel working at the units and possibly to representatives of regulatory authorities.

Participation in clinical studies is entirely voluntary. Joining the panel does not oblige you to take part in a clinical study. You are able to withdraw from the Volunteer Panel at any time.

Unfortunately we cannot accept everyone who applies to join the panel as there are a number of reasons why some people are unsuitable. Some reasons are medical, others may be related to work, lifestyle or social matters. If you are unsuccessful in your application we will inform you as soon as possible. However your information will be retained for 3 years in the event that our panel requirements may alter in the future.

The final responsibility for deciding whether an applicant can join the panel rests with the clinical team. The clinical team also reserves the right to subsequently remove you from the Volunteer Panel if they consider it to be appropriate.

Cambridge is the only Clinical Research Unit in the UK that is run by GlaxoSmithKline and all study session occur here. However we have a recently opened our new Clinical Imaging Centre in Hammersmith, London