According to the CDC, 87.9% of those with depression say they struggle with work, home, and social activities. For 31%, the impact is severe. Depression clinical trials offer you the opportunity to advance your understanding of this condition, further the science, and potentially benefit your own life in the process.

What Are Depression Clinical Trials?

A depression clinical trial is a study in which researchers are testing new methods to manage depression.

The more people who get involved in these trials, the more science will learn about who benefits from what.

Why Join a Clinical Trial

You may find personal, community or financial reasons to consider joining a clinical trial.

A clinical trial may provide understanding and access to promising new treatments before they become widely available.

Participation in a trial can provide the added benefit of personalized review and regular monitoring by expert medical teams who have time to spend listening to your experience, when your regular doctor may not.

You also get to become part of a community. It feels good to be a part of something. Since those with depression often struggle with feelings of isolation and lack of interest, this can certainly be a perk.

With that said, participating in a clinical trial is an investment of time and potentially money, so you may be wondering: Do I get paid for clinical trial participation? 

Compensation and Reimbursement

Many trials offer compensation for time, travel, and other expenses. Depending on the length of the trial and time commitment involved, there may also be a stipend on top of expense reimbursement. This amount can be anywhere from $100 to several thousand dollars. This amount is relative to the time and effort your participation requires.

Fifth you have a flexible or reduced work schedules, a depression clinical trial may provide compensation while also getting involved in an important cause to help others.

Keep in mind that compensation is recognition of time and effort, not risk. In other words, higher compensation does not necessarily mean it's more dangerous. In evaluating your decision to participant in clinical trials, the time commitment and available compensation should be considered.

How to Find and Evaluate Depression Clinical Trials

Clinicaltrials.gov or the resources on this website are a good place to start, especially if you don't mind travel, since these trials could be anywhere—usually in a city where you may also have plenty to see and do while you're there.

If you live in/near a city with a research hospital or university, you may also find clinical trials right here in your community.

If you're looking for something a little more local, consider reaching out directly to a hospital or university within driving distance. They may either be running a trial or know of a trial in your area.

A trial could be closer than you think!

Your doctor can also refer you to a trial if they believe you may benefit from a new treatment.

It's important to note that many modern clinical trials don't require everyone to travel to a single lab. Some trials are remote or decentralized to make it easier for more people to participate. So, you might meet with researchers remotely once or twice a week while getting your labs, tests, and checkups at local clinics on a schedule.

This makes joining a trial even easier.

Assessing a Clinical Trial

It's important to consider who's running the trial. Check up on them. Are they a reputable organization?

Find out what's expected of you and make sure you understand potential risks. While it's understandable that some people will need to drop out, they're looking for people who can commit to the length of the trial, barring some unforeseen emergency.

Do You Qualify for a Depression Clinical Trial?

Generally speaking, researchers will be looking for mostly healthy people between 18 and 65 years old who have been diagnosed with depression and are currently experiencing hard-to-manage symptoms. Depending on the method being studied, they may have other criteria.

You will need to learn about the potential risks, ask any questions and provide your informed consent to take part in the study. 

Clinical Trials for Depression: Are the Risks Worth the Reward

If you struggle with hard-to-treat depression, clinical trials can provide you with an opportunity to learn more about your condition and the treatment method being evaluated in the study. While there are risks in any trial, know that researchers actively monitor those risks to maintain a safe trial environment. And you can assess these risks and who's conducting the trial before you agree.

Joining a depression clinical trial can be a great way to help yourself and others now and into the future.