IBD clinical trials and Foundation research education

Selected Crohn's & Colitis Foundation educational content and Marks are used on IBDPal under license. This page summarizes how to use Foundation patient education and links to the original Foundation sources. The Foundation does not endorse IBDPal or MediVue. Education only, not medical advice.

Why trials matter in IBD

Clinical trials help test new medicines, dosing strategies, devices, and care approaches for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Foundation research education explains why participation is voluntary, how informed consent works at a high level, and why eligibility is study-specific.

Joining a trial is a clinical decision made with investigators and your gastroenterologist, not with a website.

Questions to bring to your care team

Ask what phase the study is in, what is experimental versus standard care, visit burden, travel, and whether you can continue current therapy.

Clarify monitoring labs, rescue options if symptoms worsen, and how long follow-up lasts after the study drug ends.

Request plain-language summaries of risks, possible benefits, and alternatives if you decline.

How IBDPal fits beside Foundation research education

Use Foundation research and patients-and-caregivers pages as original educational sources.

Track symptoms, stools, medications, and side effects in IBDPal so you and the study team can see baselines before screening.

IBDPal does not enroll patients in trials, screen for eligibility, or speak for the Foundation.

Practical tips

• Bring your full medication and surgery history to any screening visit
• Ask who pays for study visits, parking, and non-study care
• Never stop prescribed therapy to chase a trial without clinician guidance

Common questions

Does reading Foundation pages enroll me in a trial?

No. Education pages explain concepts. Enrollment happens only through a study team after screening and consent.

Can IBDPal refer me into a specific study?

No. Ask your IBD clinician or Foundation research education pathways about how to find studies that fit your disease type and location.

Related resources

• Foundation home (research education)
• Foundation patients and caregivers
• IBDPal research sources
• Free government IBD research sources
• Foundation resources hub
• Newly diagnosed Foundation pathway

Educational only. Not medical advice. Work with your IBD care team.

Read the full interactive version on ibdpal.org.