Category: Applying & Referral Process

Yes. Participants are encouraged to consult with their healthcare provider before making any decision regarding clinical trial participation.

Choosing whether to join a clinical trial is a personal and often complex decision. Involving your primary care physician, specialist, or another trusted healthcare professional can help you evaluate whether a study is appropriate for your medical needs, preferences, and ongoing care.

This section explains the benefits of speaking with your doctor and how to prepare for the conversation.

Why it may be beneficial to consult your doctor

Your healthcare provider can offer valuable insights based on your personal medical history and ongoing treatment. Specifically, your doctor:

• Understands your complete medical background and existing diagnoses
• Can help assess whether participation is medically advisable
• May have knowledge of potential medication interactions or safety concerns
• Can assist in interpreting the trial’s potential risks and benefits in context
• May be familiar with clinical research and help clarify consent forms or scientific terminology

When you may choose to speak with your doctor

You may consult with your physician at any point in the process, including:

• Before completing the pre-screener, to evaluate whether trial participation is appropriate for your condition
• After being matched, but prior to consenting to referral
• After referral, while reviewing informed consent forms or other study materials
• At any stage, there is no time pressure, and participation decisions should be made thoughtfully

While there is no requirement to involve your doctor, doing so can increase your confidence and support your decision-making process.

What to Bring to the Conversation

To make your discussion with your physician more productive, consider bringing:

• A copy or summary of the trial description from the DecenTrialz platform
• A list of your questions or concerns about the study
• Any emails or documents you may have received from the research site (if referred)

You may wish to explain that you are exploring participation and would value their medical opinion regarding how the trial might affect your health, routine care, or medications.

Will my doctor be contacted automatically?

No. Neither DecenTrialz nor the research site will contact your physician unless:

• You explicitly request or authorize that they be involved
• You list your physician as a collaborator in your care
• The study protocol requires coordination with your existing care team, which may apply in complex cases

Your involvement of your doctor is entirely optional and always under your control.

Key Note: Consulting with your healthcare provider can help you make a fully informed and supported decision. Clinical trial participation is entirely voluntary. You deserve to have all available information, including your physician’s guidance, when considering your options. Asking questions or seeking a second opinion is not only appropriate, it is encouraged.

Once you complete the pre-screener and explicitly consent to be referred to a clinical trial, your contact information is securely shared with the clinical research site responsible for conducting the study. At that point, DecenTrialz steps out of the process, and communication is managed directly by the site.

This section outlines who may contact you, how they will identify themselves, and what you can expect during the initial communication phase.

Who typically reaches out?

The first individual to contact you is usually a staff member from the research site. Depending on the site’s organizational structure, this may include:

• Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC):
  Responsible for coordinating communications, scheduling, and managing participant logistics.
• Study Nurse or Research Assistant:
  Often supports eligibility screening, participant education, and study-related procedures.
• Patient Recruitment Specialist:
  May assist with guiding new participants through the onboarding and consent process.
• Principal Investigator or Sub-Investigator (Less Common Initially):
  Licensed physicians overseeing the trial; they may connect with you at a later stage during consent discussions or medical evaluations.

Please note: You will not be contacted by DecenTrialz after referral unless you request support from our platform team

What will they say when they contact you?

The research site staff will generally:

• Identify themselves and state the name of the study
• Confirm that you expressed interest through the DecenTrialz platform
• Ask a few brief follow-up questions related to your eligibility
• Offer to provide additional study information or schedule a formal screening appointment
• Share key documents such as the participant information sheet, informed consent form, or study timeline

You are welcome to ask any questions you may have at this time.

How will they contact you?

They will use the contact method you selected during the pre-screener process, which may include:

• Phone call
• Email
• Text message (if explicitly permitted by you during pre-screening)

You are not obligated to respond. If you are no longer interested, you may decline the contact, delay your response, or inform the site of your decision not to proceed.

What if I do not hear back immediately?

Response times vary between research sites. In general:

• Most sites respond within 24 to 72 hours
• Some sites may take longer depending on staff capacity, recruitment timelines, or study phase

If more than one week has passed and you have not received a response:

• You may follow up directly with the research site (if contact information was provided)
• Alternatively, you may contact support@decentrialz.com for assistance

While DecenTrialz can help facilitate a follow-up request, final response times are determined solely by the research site.

Key Note: Once you opt in, all next steps are coordinated by the clinical research site. Any individual who contacts you will be a qualified member of the study team, trained to assist you throughout the screening and enrollment process. You are never required to continue if you are uncertain, and you may request additional information before making a decision.

Being matched to a clinical trial through DecenTrialz does not obligate you to participate. We understand that even when a study appears to align with your profile, you may decide not to move forward, and that decision is entirely yours.

This section outlines your options if you are not interested in a study after matching and explains how DecenTrialz respects and handles that choice.

You Remain in Control at Every Stage

When you are matched to a trial on the DecenTrialz platform:

• You will be presented with study details and basic eligibility information
• You must manually opt in before any of your information is shared with a research site
• If you choose not to proceed, no referral occurs and no data is shared

There is no obligation to respond and no requirement to explain your decision. Simply choosing not to click the “Refer Me” or “Proceed” button ensures your data remains private.

If You Have Already Clicked “Refer” but Changed Your Mind

If you initially opted in but later decide not to continue, you still have full control. You may:

• Decline when contacted by the research site
• Notify the site directly that you are no longer interested
• Email our support team at support@decentrialz.com, and we can assist in informing the site on your behalf

You are allowed to change your mind at any point — even after referral, even after being contacted, and even during the research site’s screening process. You are never obligated to proceed further than you feel comfortable.

Will This Affect Future Trial Matching?

No. Choosing not to proceed with one study does not affect your future use of the DecenTrialz platform. Specifically:

• You will continue to have access to other trial opportunities
• You remain eligible for other studies unless a specific study protocol requires a waiting period (e.g., no trial participation within the past 30 days)
• You can update your responses, health status, or participation preferences at any time by logging into your profile

Common and Valid Reasons for Opting Out

Participants choose not to proceed for many reasons, including:

• The study location is not convenient
• The required procedures or time commitment are not feasible
• They prefer to consult with their physician before continuing
• They are not ready to participate at this time

All reasons are valid. You are never expected to justify your decision.

Key Note: Participation in clinical research is always voluntary. DecenTrialz is committed to a no-pressure, ethics-first approach to trial matching. Declining to participate in a current opportunity does not prevent you from exploring future studies. You are welcome to return at any time to explore options that better align with your needs and preferences.

After completing the pre-screener and providing consent to be referred, DecenTrialz securely transmits your information to the clinical research team associated with the matched study. This section outlines how that contact process works, who may reach out to you, and what to expect during this early phase of communication.

Who will contact you and why?

Following referral, the research site — which may be a hospital, clinic, academic medical center, or independent research facility — becomes responsible for initiating direct communication. While some sites may be affiliated with a study sponsor (e.g., a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company), you will only be contacted by the site staff or their designated personnel.

You may be contacted by:

• A Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC)
• A Research Nurse
• A Participant Recruitment or Engagement Specialist

Their role is to begin the official screening process, confirm your interest, provide study details, and respond to your questions.

How will they contact you?

The research site team will use the preferred contact method you selected during pre-screening. This may include:

• Phone call
• Email communication
• Text message, if you explicitly consented to that method

In their initial outreach, they may reference:

• The study title
• The name of the research site or principal investigator
• That you expressed interest via the DecenTrialz platform

Note: You will not be contacted unless you have explicitly consented to referral.

What Information will the research site receive?

The information shared with the research site is limited to:

• Your name and contact details
• Your pre-screener responses
• Any communication preferences you provided (e.g., best times to reach you)

The research site will not receive:

• Your complete medical history or records
• Insurance or billing information
• Any unrelated personal data

What to expect during initial contact

During their first communication with you, the research site team may:

• Confirm that you remain interested in the study
• Ask follow-up questions to assess your eligibility
• Provide an overview of the study purpose, procedures, and timelines
• Offer to schedule a screening appointment or virtual consultation
• Share additional materials, such as the informed consent form or reimbursement policy

This is also your opportunity to ask questions about the trial, your rights as a participant, and what the study involves.

Key Note: Once you are referred, DecenTrialz no longer participates in the communication process. All further discussions occur directly between you and the research site. You are under no obligation to respond or move forward. You may withdraw your interest at any time, and the research site is ethically required to respect your privacy and decision without pressure.

Informed consent is a foundational component of ethical clinical research. While formal informed consent is required before a participant can officially join a clinical trial, DecenTrialz ensures that you are also provided with clear, understandable information prior to the referral stage, during pre-screening.

This section explains how the principles of informed consent apply specifically to the DecenTrialz platform and what you can expect before any of your information is shared with a research team.

What Is informed consent in clinical research?

Informed consent is not a one-time form, it is an ongoing, transparent process through which you:

• Receive relevant and understandable information about the study
• Are given the opportunity to ask questions and evaluate the information
• Voluntarily agree (or decline) to participate, without pressure or coercion

In the context of full trial enrollment, informed consent typically involves a detailed written consent form, a discussion with clinical staff, and your documented agreement.

At the pre-screening stage, this process is more limited but still critically important to ensure your autonomy and privacy.

How Informed Consent Works at the Pre-Screening Stage

Before any personal information is shared with a clinical research site, DecenTrialz presents you with a clear consent notice. This notice:

• Describes exactly what data will be shared, such as your contact details and pre-screener responses
• Identifies the intended recipient — a specific research site conducting the matched trial
• Explains the purpose of the data sharing — to initiate contact for further eligibility screening
• Clarifies that referral is entirely optional and occurs only if you provide explicit confirmation

You will be required to actively opt in to the referral. If you choose not to proceed, no data will be transmitted. There are no penalties or consequences for declining.

What this consent does not include

The consent process at the pre-screening stage:

• Does not enroll you in any clinical trial
• Does not authorize any medical procedures, assessments, or study-related tests
• Does not replace the formal informed consent process that will occur at the research site if you move forward

Should you proceed with a referral, the clinical research site will conduct its own detailed informed consent process, in compliance with IRB, HIPAA, and FDA requirements, before any study activities begin.

Why consent still matters at the pre-screening stage

Although you are not formally joining a study at this point, the handling of your health-related and contact information still requires strong ethical safeguards. DecenTrialz ensures that:

• You are clearly informed about what will happen with your information
• You maintain full control over whether your data is shared
• You may withdraw or decline at any time without impact on future opportunities

Participation in pre-screening is fully voluntary, and your rights are respected throughout the process.

Key Note: DecenTrialz adheres to established research ethics and regulatory standards, including HIPAA, IRB oversight, and clinical consent principles. You will never be referred to a clinical research site without your explicit, informed consent, and no personal data will be shared without your direct approval.

Disclaimer: DecenTrialz does not conduct clinical trials. The platform only facilitates pre-screening to help identify potential participant eligibility. All study activities, medical evaluations, and final enrollment decisions are carried out exclusively by the independent research sites or sponsors responsible for each clinical trial.

Once you have been matched to a clinical trial on the DecenTrialz platform, you may choose whether to proceed with expressing interest in participation. If you opt in, DecenTrialz initiates a secure, consent-based referral to the clinical research site responsible for conducting the study.

This section outlines the steps that follow a trial match and what you can expect throughout the referral process.

Step-by-Step: What Happens After a Trial Match

1. Review of trial details

After a potential match is identified, the platform will present you with an overview of the clinical trial, including:

• A brief summary of the study’s objectives
• The medical condition or research focus
• Location of the study site or indication of remote participation
• Key eligibility criteria
• Type of intervention or participation involved

You are encouraged to review this information carefully before making a decision.

2. Voluntary referral opt-in

If you are interested in proceeding, you may choose to be referred to the research site. Referral is entirely voluntary and will not occur without your explicit consent.

At this stage, you may be asked to:

• Confirm your contact information
• Acknowledge a consent notification or confirmation message regarding the referral

3. Secure referral to the research site

Upon opt-in, DecenTrialz will securely transmit your basic pre-screener responses and contact details to the research team associated with the selected trial. This allows the site to:

• Follow up with you to conduct further eligibility screening
• Request additional information relevant to the study
• Schedule a consultation or screening appointment

Contact may occur via phone or email, based on the preferences you previously indicated.

4. Research site screening process

Once referred, the clinical research site will conduct its own evaluation to determine final eligibility. This may include:

• Detailed review of your medical history and current health status
• Laboratory tests, diagnostic procedures, or questionnaires (as required by the protocol)
• Explanation of informed consent, including study risks, procedures, and your rights as a participant

This process is conducted entirely by the research site and is independent of DecenTrialz.

Important clarifications

• DecenTrialz is not a clinical trial site. We do not conduct research studies or determine final eligibility.
• You are never obligated to continue. You may decline participation at any time before or after the referral.
• Support is available. You may contact both the DecenTrialz support team and the research site staff with any questions during this stage.

Key Note: Being matched and referred to a study does not guarantee enrollment or eligibility. The final determination is made solely by the clinical research team after completing their own review. DecenTrialz acts only as a facilitator, enabling a secure and participant-controlled connection between you and the trial site.