Research

• We first review your medical history to see if a study is a good fit and safe for you.
• You receive detailed information and can ask questions before giving consent.
• Study visits often include assessments, lab work and discussions about side effects and benefits.
• Your regular care with your family doctor and specialists continues while you are in the study.
• We always prioritize safety, transparency and respect for your preferences.
• Participation is voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time.

These trials could include taking a medication to manage or treat a chronic condition, and some often offer the opportunity to receive medications at no cost. Most trials, but not all, will include a placebo intervention arm (this is when patients are given a treatment designed not to have any effect). Patients should be prepared to discuss the possibility of receiving the placebo.

By joining a clinical trial, you contribute to the development of new drugs, therapies, and medical approaches that can positively impact the health of future generations.

What does active participation in research mean?

Active participation clinical trials could include taking medication to manage or treat a chronic condition, which may or not be provided at no cost. Participation in a clinical trial may also require following specific instructions.

What does passive participation in research mean?

Patients who enrol to receive care at the Unity Healthcare Clinic will be provided with a consent form to allow access to the data collected as part of their time at the clinic for research purposes. Patients who agree to this will NOT have to undergo any additional tests or have to do anything else in addition to their treatment.

Data collected as part of medical appointments will be de-anonymized (which means that any information that could be used to identify you will be removed) and will only be provided to qualified researchers who have permission to use the data. It will also be securely stored to ensure that no one other than the approved researchers have access to it.

Data that thousands of patients from the Unity Healthcare Clinic have consented to be used for research purposes have been used to help us understand more about the management and treatment of chronic cardiometabolic conditions. Some important questions we have tackled have included: Can switching from older GLP-1 medications to new GLP-1 medications lead to further glucose control improvement/ weight loss? What is the proportion of people with diabetes that have chronic kidney disease with protein leakage in urine? Can using glucose sensors/ CGMs lead to better glucose lowering? Do persons of S. Asian origin lose more muscle than Caucasians when starting a weight loss medication?

Important considerations related to research

Patients at Unity Healthcare are under no obligation to participate in research. Declining to participate in any research project or enrolling and then changing your mind later about being involved in a research project, will have no adverse impact on care.

There are, however, several benefits to participating in research. For example, patients who are enrolled in some studies could receive new or cutting-edge treatments. And while some medications typically come with a cost to the patient, many studies will provide these, as well as newer and potentially better versions of medications, to patients for free. In addition, people who enroll in studies that involve some type of treatment often receive better management of their medical condition because they are monitored by study staff and can receive additional treatment. Finally, participating in research can help not only yourself, but also others, by furthering the understanding of the management and treatment of obesity.