Why do studies only include children of a certain age or with certain diagnoses?
All studies have guidelines about who can participate. Inclusion and exclusion criteria – including age, diagnosis and gender – determine who is eligible and ineligible to participate. The inclusion and exclusion criteria are determined by the investigator and/or study sponsor based on the subject of the study and how the investigator can show meaningful results. Studies have to explicitly define these criteria then have them approved by the UC Davis Institutional Review Board (IRB). Once approved, investigators must continue to use the established criteria.
