How can Patients and Caregivers Get Involved in Research?

It’s really important for patients and caregivers to be involved in research and studies. When they work together with researchers, they can help them understand what questions are important to them. They can also share important topics with their community and help spread the findings. Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN) wants to make sure your voice is heard. AAN can connect patients and caregivers with researchers who need people to help in different ways.

Research often takes on many different forms:

  • Find a study
  • Patient Advisory groups
  • Patient Registry
  • Focus Groups
  • Surveys
  • Clinical trials
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Find a study

Our Find a Study page provides information about the studies Allergy and Asthma Network is promoting. Other places to look include the ANTIDOTE website tool. This website tool is not part of AAN. It provides and opportunity for you to identify your topics of interest and the ANTIDOTE site will match you to the studies available.

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Patient Registry

A registry is usually a database available online or via the internet where the patient or caregiver is able to share their own information with a research team. This information can be used to track trends about the number of people with a disease, what treatments are being used, what patients may be eligible for a clinical trial or analyze specific management information.

Learn more about the Allergy and Asthma Network’s Registry.

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Participate in a focus group

When a researcher wants to understand a participant’s viewpoint or develop some data, they may convene a focus group. This is a small group of participants, usually patients who gather (either online or in person) to discuss a specific topic or health concern allowing the researcher to analyze their information as a part of a research project.

See our current Research and/or Focus Group Opportunities

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Participate by completing a survey

When a researcher wants to understand a patient or caregiver’s viewpoint or experiences, they may develop a survey that is completed online or in person.

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Participate in a clinical trial

Clinical trials are studies that use new medications or devices to treat a specific condition. Patients and caregivers may choose to participate as a “subject” in a clinical trial. The clinical trial may offer treatment options that may not otherwise be available to the patient.

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Stay up to date on research opportunities

Allergy & Asthma Network is committed to patients and caregivers having an opportunity to be a part of the research community and participate. Please fill out our RESEARCH form and indicate that you have an interest  in research,  and we will add you to the research newsletter that is distributed via email twice a month. This newsletter will provide you with information about research opportunities.

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Diversity in Research

Everyone deserves to benefit from research, no matter where they live, what language they speak or the color of their skin. But we know that with asthma and allergic diseases, race and ethnicity play a large role in one’s health and in quality of life. That is why it’s important for people from every racial and ethnic group to get involved in research. When there is diversity in research, study results will then be more inclusive to those whose health can benefit from it most.