Clinical trials are a critical tool for improving our understanding and treatment of illnesses and disease. Anyone may be eligible to participate in clinical trials. As a potential clinical trial subject, you may be asked if you’re willing to participate in a clinical trial that is specific to your health needs or diagnosis. You may also be asked to participate in research that is not necessarily a clinical trial, such as donating blood or tissue for a genetic study. People volunteer to be in clinical trials for different reasons: In hopes of improving their own health To access treatments that may be new and not yet widely available To help others by contributing to medical advances