Disclaimer: This webpage was created with the intention to provide a brief source of information to patients and other persons curious about research, clinical research, and participation in clinical studies. This webpage is by no means a suitable substitution for a licensed medical practitioner. If you have any questions, you are welcome to request an appointment with any of our physicians.

Questions Commonly Asked about Research

What Is Research?

Research is the ongoing process of subjecting hypotheses (scientific statements) to rigorous testing to better our understanding within a particular field of science.

What Is Clinical Research?

Clinical research is research that focuses on advancing the field of medicine to better provide for the medical needs of patients in the future.

Questions Commonly Asked about Clinical Studies

What Is A Clinical Study?

A clinical study is either a privately- or publicly-funded clinical research project wherein people volunteer to participate and, in doing so, contribute to our understanding of medicine. There are two types of clinical research studies: Clinical Trials and Observational Studies

Who Funds Clinical Studies?

Clinical studies can be funded, also referred to as “sponsored,” privately or publicly. A private sponsor might be a pharmaceutical company or academic medical institution whereas a public sponsor might be a government agency. Specific study-related information about clinical studies, which includes information about their sponsors, can be found at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Who Conducts Each Clinical Study?

Each clinical study has a Principal Investigator who assumes the ultimate responsibility for how the study is conducted and oversees all study-related procedures on behalf of the study sponsor. A clinical research team assists the Principal Investigator with most of his or her study-related responsibilities, which have been largely delegated to team members to best accommodate patient and practice needs. Team members usually include other physicians, nurses, research coordinators, and other healthcare professionals.

If you have any questions regarding any of the clinical studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

How Do I Participate in A Clinical Study?

In order to be eligible to participate in any of the clinical studies we offer, a potential participant must first be a patient with us. This means the first step in eligibility is either requesting an appointment or being referred to us through a current healthcare provider.

Only after collecting a medical history, administering a physical examination, and making an assessment can your physician begin to work with our research team to determine if you would be a good candidate for a clinical study. If your physician and the research team together determine you are a good fit for a study, they will contact you to see if you’d like to participate. Only if you are eligible, have had ample time to discuss any questions and/or concerns you might have about participation, and express willingness to participate after reviewing what participation will require of you over the course of the study, you may sign an informed consent form.

If you have any questions regarding any of the clinical studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

What Is Informed Consent?

Informed consent is a process that involves informing potential research participants of the reasons for conducting the research, how the research will be conducted, what is required of their participation in the research, notice that their participation is voluntary and they may withdraw from the study at any point in time, details regarding study-related procedures, whether or not their participation will directly or indirectly affect their routine medical care, resources available to participants, and, among other details, whether or not participants will be compensated.

Obtaining informed consent prior to participation in research is meant, foremost, to protect the interests of potential research participants by ensuring they understand their rights and their role in the study in which they might be interested.

If you have any questions regarding any of the clinical studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

How Much Time Do I Have to Decide If I’d Like to Participate in A Clinical Study?

Although certain aspects of your routine medical care may be time-sensitive, we encourage patients to take as much time as they need to ask questions and discuss any concerns they have regarding clinical study participation with their care team and/or our research team to determine if they’d like to participate. Only if you are eligible, have had ample time to discuss any questions and/or concerns you might have about participation, and express willingness to participate after reviewing what participation will require of you over the course of the study, you may sign an informed consent form.

If you have any questions regarding any of the clinical studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

What Is A Clinical Trial?

A clinical trial is clinical research that focuses on evaluating the effectiveness and/or safety of medical devices, diagnostic procedures and products, and medications in addressing the medical needs of people. We may attribute our vast understanding of all current medical devices, diagnostic procedures and products, and medications in this regard on the success of pre-clinical and clinical research.

If you have any questions regarding any of the clinical trials we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

What Is An Observational Study?

An observational study is an investigative effort to collect data on health-related participant outcomes. In an observational study, as opposed to a clinical trial, people are not assigned specifically to an intervention—or interventions—such as a specific treatment regimen. Instead, participants receive routine medical care.

If you have any questions regarding any of the observational studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

How Long Will A Clinical Study Last?

Clinical studies can be funded, also referred to as “sponsored,” privately or publicly. A private sponsor might be a pharmaceutical company or academic medical institution whereas a public sponsor might be a government agency. Specific study-related information about clinical studies, which includes information about their sponsors, can be found at ClinicalTrials.gov.

If you have any questions regarding any of the observational studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

Where Can I Find More Information about A Study?

More information about clinical studies can be found at ClinicalTrials.gov, which is a database of privately- and publicly-funded clinical studies provided as an informational resource by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Please feel free to review ClinicalTrials.gov at any time for more information about the clinical studies we offer at our practice locations. If you have any questions regarding any of the observational studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075

Where Can I Find The Results of A Clinical Study?

In order for the results of a clinical study to be released, the study must first reach completion. For this to happen, enough participants will have to have been recruited and health-related data collected on these participants to draw scientific conclusions. The status of clinical trials are posted and updated regularly on ClinicalTrials.gov. Once all the data has been collected on participants and analyzed, the results are published.

Please feel free to review ClinicalTrials.gov at any time for more information about the clinical studies we offer at our practice locations. If you have any questions regarding any of the observational studies we conduct, eligibility, and/or participation, you are welcome to contact us at (631) 675 - 5075