 The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of our nation's leaders in health research, with thousands of studies being conducted at VA medical facilities each year. These efforts have contributed significantly to health improvements for thousands of veterans and others. None of the advances in healthcare would be possible without individuals who volunteer to take part in research studies. There are many reasons to volunteer. To help you make the right decision, you need to understand some of the basic requirements for good research. And your rights as a research study participant. A research study is an organized activity that helps health professionals learn more about a problem or answer questions. The VA conducts many different kinds of studies. Some help determine what healthcare practices work best. Others identify the best way to treat or prevent an illness. A research study may use a survey or an interview to gather information. Clinical trials help determine whether medicines, new therapies or new devices are safe and effective. No matter what kind of study it is, all are carefully designed and monitored. As a result, the information provided may help thousands of Americans lead healthier lives. Veterans participate in research studies for a variety of reasons. Some want to help discover a cure for an illness. Others hope the study will find a better treatment for a condition that they have themselves. Even if the study does not benefit you, your efforts and those of veterans like you may result in others being helped in the future. Sometimes, research procedures and drugs cause discomfort and produce side effects. That's why an institutional review board, or IRB, which is made up of scientists and people like you, ensures that all human research is well planned and ethical before the study is approved and veterans are asked to participate. The IRB also monitors the safety of every ongoing study to protect participants. Before you choose to volunteer, a research staff member will let you know of the risks and benefits associated with the study. If you choose to become a participant, you will continue to be informed of any risks or benefits that are discovered during the study. Before you decide to volunteer in a research study, you need to know as much as possible about it. If you are asked to participate and have any concerns, be sure to ask questions. The Department of Veterans Affairs has a booklet that lists some of the questions you may want to ask before making your decision. These include questions like, how long will the study last, and what will happen to me at the end of the study? While all the questions in the brochure may not apply to you, it's a good place to start. If you ask a question and don't understand the answer, ask again. Remember, your decision to participate in a study should never be made until all of your questions have been answered. Informed consent involves learning the key facts about a research study, before you decide whether or not to volunteer. Your participation should be based on a clear understanding of what will take place in the study and how it might affect you. Informed consent begins when the staff explains the facts about the research study. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to read and then sign an informed consent form. This form includes details about the study, test or procedures you may receive, the benefits and risks that could result, and your rights as a research volunteer. If you don't understand something in the form, ask the staff to explain it to you. You may take the form home with you and discuss it with family and friends before making your decision. Remember, informed consent is more than a piece of paper. It is a process that goes on throughout the study. It means that during the course of the study, you'll be kept informed of new findings, benefits or risks. At that time, you can decide whether you want to continue your participation in the study. You're also acknowledging your right to change your mind and leave the study at any time without losing any of your VA health or other benefits. Release of information from your research record is limited by laws and policies. It may only be given to people on a need to know basis. This includes the researchers who are involved in the study, the company or group funding it, and those who make sure the study is safe and carried out the way it was planned. These restrictions help the VA make sure that your rights and welfare are protected at every stage of the study. If anyone asks you to participate in a research study, you have the right to say no. Remember, your decision will not affect your VA health care or benefits. If you do choose to volunteer for the study, be sure to ask questions and weigh both the risks and the benefits carefully. Taking these steps will help you decide if volunteering to participate in a research study is the right decision for you.