Expanding new or existing treatments for pediatric conditions cannot be achieved without clinical trial volunteers. We understand that participating in a clinical trial is a deeply personal decision and choosing the best care option for your child can feel overwhelming. It’s important to take time to gather information and discuss your treatment and investigational options with your child’s doctor, your family, or others in your support system.
Clinical trials are research studies that are designed to learn more about how to prevent, detect, and treat various diseases. They potentially can also help people with long-term illnesses improve their day-to-day experience living with their illness. Without research, doctors are unable to know the best ways to diagnose and treat children of all ages. Before deciding if a clinical trial is a good option for your child, it’s important to learn more about the study, including its risks and benefits. Learn More
A Caregiver's Story
Meet mother and daughter, Rubecca and Anjali. Anjali developed psoriasis as a child, and Rubecca acts as Anjali’s caregiver including during her clinical trial journey. In this video, we learn about their introduction to psoriasis clinical trials from one of Anjali’s doctors, the factors they took into account when considering participation, and their experiences as research participants.
Meet mother and daughter, Rubecca and Anjali. Anjali developed psoriasis as a child, and Rubecca acts as Anjali’s caregiver including during her clinical trial journey. In this video, we learn about their introduction to psoriasis clinical trials from one of Anjali’s doctors, the factors they took into account when considering participation, and their experiences as research participants.
What to Expect - Before the Trial
Learn more about the potential risks and benefits to make the most informed decision for your family. Understanding Clinical Trials printable version.
Before deciding if your child should participate in a trial, you’ll spend time with the team to review possible risks and benefits and ask any questions you may have about the study. This process is called Informed Consent:
Another important consideration before your child begins a clinical trial is the potential impact it may have on your family’s existing lifestyle. Consider that your child being a trial participant may require the following:
Keep these things in mind when deciding if a trial is a good idea for your child.
What to Expect - During the Trial
Understanding Clinical Trials printable version
Your child’s rights, welfare, and privacy are a priority. We follow the strict regulatory and ethical guidelines of the FDA and Ethics Review Boards.
You’ll be in the know. We’ll inform you and your child of the known risks and benefits before your trial starts (also known as Informed Consent or Assent if child has the necessary capacity).
You can always ask. Ask as many questions as you want—we’ll always answer.
Your child can stop participating at any time. Your child can withdraw from a trial at any time, for any reason.
Your child is not alone. They’ll join a community of other clinical trial participants.
Your child will make a difference. Your child’s participation contributes to science and may help us develop new treatments that make lives better and contribute to science.
Important Questions
Sponsor
They initiate the clinical trial and can be doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and more.
They initiate the clinical trial and can be doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and more.
Site
Where the trial happens. This can be a clinic, hospital, academic institution, doctor’s office or even your home.
Where the trial happens. This can be a clinic, hospital, academic institution, doctor’s office or even your home.
Participant
The person taking part in the study. Your child—or also, the “patient,” “volunteer,” or “study subject.”
The person taking part in the study. Your child—or also, the “patient,” “volunteer,” or “study subject.”
Principal Investigator
The doctor or researcher responsible for conducting the trial. Can also be called the study doctor.
The doctor or researcher responsible for conducting the trial. Can also be called the study doctor.
Study Coordinator
The research assistant who supports the Investigator to conduct the clinical trial.
The research assistant who supports the Investigator to conduct the clinical trial.
Ethics Review Boards
These boards protect your child by reviewing the study and ensuring it’s ethical and fair.
These boards protect your child by reviewing the study and ensuring it’s ethical and fair.
Lilly Trial Match
Answer a few questions using Lilly Trial Match to find which Lilly trials may be the best fit for you or your loved one.
Answer a few questions using Lilly Trial Match to find which Lilly trials may be the best fit for you or your loved one.
In order to learn more about specific clinical trial opportunities, please click the button to navigate to a list of current pediatric clinical trials at Lilly. View Trial List
Lilly Trial Alerts
Not the right fit? Sign up to receive updates about new trials that are listed or when a new trial site begins enrolling near you.
Not the right fit? Sign up to receive Lilly Trial Alerts to find out about new trials.
Youth Voice for Patient-Centric Drug Development
A Lilly guest author, Courtney Tate, shares her experiences gathering the youth voice from iCAN members to help develop more patient-centric processes in drug development. Read More
A Lilly guest author, Courtney Tate, shares her experiences gathering the youth voice from iCAN members to help develop more patient-centric processes in drug development. Read More
Progress in Clinical Trial Design for Childhood Cancer
Some pediatric cancer clinical trials use a master protocol design. Learn more about this type of trial and advances in the area in driving progress against childhood cancer.
Some pediatric cancer clinical trials use a master protocol design. Learn more about this type of trial and advances in the area in driving progress against childhood cancer.
Supporting and Informing Children in Clinical Trials
It's important that children participating in clinical trails are given information to help them understand what will happen during the trial. Read a blog about how health literacy principles improve pediatric assent.
It's important that children participating in clinical trails are given information to help them understand what will happen during the trial. Read a blog about how health literacy principles improve pediatric assent.
iCAN Blog
Mary Short, a Research Advisor for Pediatric Capabilities and co-chair of the Pediatric Steering Committee at Lilly, shares a blog about our partnership and experiences with the International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN). Read More
Mary Short, a Research Advisor for Pediatric Capabilities and co-chair of the Pediatric Steering Committee at Lilly, shares a blog about our partnership and experiences with the International Children's Advisory Network (iCAN). Read More
Informed Consent
Imagine for a moment you are a patient considering clinical trial participation. Or perhaps you have a family member or friends that are considering clinical trial participation. Either way, let's say you want to understand more about clinical trials and whether or not you (or your loved one) should participate. This blog explores the informed consent process in clinical trials. Read More
Imagine for a moment you are a patient considering clinical trial participation. Or perhaps you have a family member or friends that are considering clinical trial participation. Either way, let's say you want to understand more about clinical trials and whether or not you (or your loved one) should participate. This blog explores the informed consent process in clinical trials. Read More