To encourage participation, care teams and researchers often are willing to work together to coordinate schedules so that regular care center visits can take place on the same day as the research visit. Appointments can be moved to the beginning or end of the day to accommodate your work schedule.
If you believe there are other obstacles to participating, your research team might be able to engage in some creative problem-solving with you to overcome potential barriers. Some parents have had problems with schools allowing time off for children with cystic fibrosis to participate in clinical trials. Your care center doctor can send a letter to the school stating why the children need to participate.
For Brandon Erhart, an adult who has CF, one research facility was able to arrange for him to get the study's routine blood draws at a hospital close to his college campus. This saved him from having to travel two hours to get them done at the research facility.
“I've just had nothing but collaboration on all ends, which has been really positive.”
-- Brandon Erhart, who participated in three CF clinical trials