Who can take part in a clinical trial?
There are rules about who can and who cannot take part in a clinical trial. These rules can change depending on the clinical trial. Rules about who can join are called inclusion criteria. Rules about who cannot join are called exclusion criteria. For example, one clinical trial may need people of a certain age and gender, with a certain type and stage of a disease. Therefore, only people who meet these requirements may be able to join the clinical trial. These criteria ensure safety as well as true results so that answers may apply to future patients.
