Patients and Families

The key to preventing illness in this community, and in people all over the world, lies with you and your family. Participate in research without ever having to leave Southwest Michigan. You can play an important role in the testing and approval of vaccines and other medications that can improve the quality of life for countless individuals. Take a more active part in your own health care and gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available by participating in clinical research.

Many local individuals have found participating in the clinical research trial of a potential new medicine or procedure to be a rewarding experience. Lakeland has provided opportunities for this community to be involved in cutting-edge medical science for over 15 years.

Clinical trials completed include:

• Allergy/Immunology
• Cardiology (HTN/Hyperlipidemia/A-Fib)
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia
• Gastroenterology
• (GERD/IBS)
• Infant formula
• Infectious disease
• (Pneumonia)
• Inpatient studies
• Migraines
• Otolaryngology
• Tonsillitis/Sinusitis
• Otitis Media/Otitis Externa
• Pediatrics
• Pharmacokinetic
• Pharmacodynamics
• (PK & PD)
• Psychiatry (Depression)
• Pulmonology
• (COPD/Asthma)
• Rheumatology (Gout)
• Urology
• Vaccines
• Women’s health

 The medications, vaccines and therapies that we rely on today are all made possible because of years of careful research and volunteer participation. Research is a systematic gathering of information from volunteers to answer a specific question.

There are many types of research questions. Some are designed to find better ways of treating diseases, while others may concentrate on disease prevention, improving diagnosis or improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses.

Types of research studies:

• Clinical trials: A clinical trial is designed to learn if new treatments are safe and effective. These trials might test new drugs, devices, procedures or ways to use existing treatments. Researchers conduct clinical trials before any new treatment can be used by a doctor.
• Observational studies: In an observational study, researchers do not change your medical treatment. The researcher will only observe and collect information from you by interviews, surveys or from a medical chart.

Getting involved in research

Researchers need the help of volunteers to answer important medical questions.

There are many reasons to participate in research, including contributing to the advancement of health care. Before participating in a research study, you should evaluate all options to help make an informed decision. Use this website as a guide.

There are many ways to get involved with research at Corewell Health:

• As a part of Corewell Health, here is a link to an open research study across Michigan: Check out the available research studies on the West side of the state and available research studies at East conducted by Corewell Health.
• Support research efforts at Corewell Health: If you are interested in contributing to research, the Corewell Health Foundation can help direct your donations to a cause close to your heart. For more information check out this link: https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/lakeland-health-foundations
• Corewell Health Lakeland is dedicated to assuring the rights and welfare of all our research participants’ is respected and protected. These resources will tell you what to expect when taking part in research, what information can inform your choice to join a study and who to contact if you need more information.

There are many reasons why people enroll in clinical trials, including:

• Access to medications not yet available to the public
• Access to cutting-edge medical care
• Extra time with research staff for disease education
• Unique opportunities to help future patients