A survey of patients' attitudes to clinical research.

Every year hundreds of patients voluntarily participate in clinical trials across Ireland. However, little research has been done as to how patients find the experience. This survey was conducted in an attempt to ascertain clinical trial participants' views on their experience of participating in a clinical trial and to see and how clinical trial participation can be improved. One hundred and sixty-six clinical trial participants who had recently completed a global phase IV cardiovascular endpoint clinical trial were sent a 3-page questionnaire. Ninety-one (91%) respondents found the experience of participating in a clinical trial a good one with 85 (84.16%) respondents saying they would recommend participating in a clinical trial to a friend or relative and eighty-five (87.63%) respondents feeling they received better healthcare because they had participated in a clinical trial.