Clinical Trials at the
Center for Mental Health
The Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health is involved in clinical research trials which offer clients the newest interventions and medications available in the field. Clinical research trials help determine if experimental uses of new or existing medications are safe and effective. Researchers screen potential participants to determine if they are an appropriate match for a specific research trial.
All Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health clinical trials are conducted on an out-patient basis. Our staff members can also help link you to clinical research trials that are offered inpatient at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital.
For more information, please contact 847-952-7475.
What are clinical research trials?
Clinical research trials are trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical devices by monitoring their effects on large groups of people.
What happens during a clinical research trial?
Our clinical research focuses on psychiatric illnesses on an outpatient basis. If participation criteria are met and the candidate wants to continue, an informed consent document is signed indicating an agreement to participate and to follow the instructions given by the study staff. Next, medical tests are performed and participants are given very specific instructions about how to take the medicine. All medical tests and medications associated with the investigational study are generally provided at no cost to the participant.
Some research trials compare medications with a placebo, an inactive medication that has no treatment value but is important for showing the effectiveness and safety of the real medicine being tested. Other studies compare different medications to see if one is more beneficial than the other.
Many safeguards exist to ensure the safety, health and confidentiality of the individuals enrolled in a research study. The ethical and medical codes that govern medical practice may also apply in research trials.
What are the potential benefits?
Individuals who participate in clinical research trials play an important part in furthering our medical knowledge about certain psychiatric conditions and how they respond to new treatments. Participants may also benefit by receiving a treatment for their condition that is not currently available to the general population.
What are the potential risks?
Thee are risks associated with clinical research. The experimental treatment may not be effective for some individuals and there may be undesirable side effects from taking a medication. In some studies, participants may receive a placebo.
Do you want to know about our current research trial? Learn more.
Still have questions? The following link is an excellent resource for mental health clinical research:
Free Confidential Phone Screening
Clinical research offers people renewed hope and the possibility that something different may be possible.
Please call us at 847-952-7475.
