Clinical trials help researchers find new ways to prevent or treat diseases, and many are conducted in metro Atlanta.
Since the area is home to many hospitals and universities, it's also the site of many different types of clinical trials.
Many trials are looking for participants with specific diseases, but they may also need healthy people as part of the study. The exact requirements for each trial vary, as do the motivations of the people taking part in the study.
Some healthy participants want to help others and receive compensation for their time and travel. Others with a particular disease or illness may want to have access to a new type of treatment.
If you're interested in participating in a clinical trial, make sure you understand any risks involved and are honest about any medical conditions you may have. You'll also need to be willing to commit to the study's requirements for the specified amount of time.
To find clinical trials in the Atlanta area, visit clinicaltrials.gov. You can perform searches by location and also do an advanced search to find trials for specific conditions.
>>RELATED: Emory among three U.S. study sites for clinical trial of Zika vaccine
The following are some interesting clinical trials being conducted in Atlanta:
New Zika vaccine
Emory University will be one of three U.S. study sites for an investigational Zika vaccine study. The National Institutes for Health is trying to determine the safety and effectiveness of its newly developed Zika vaccine. Healthy volunteers ages 18-35 will be enrolled and receive an injection of the vaccine. It contains no infectious material, so participants won't be infected with the Zika virus, but it allows scientists to gauge the body's immune response to virus-like particles.
Emory plans to enroll participants in the study by the end of August.
Tango to help Parkinson's research
This study will research if and how two different types of partnered dance (adaptive tango) affect brain activity in people with and without Parkinson's disease. The trial will take place at the Atlanta VA Medical Center and Emory University, with about 140 people being enrolled over a five-year period.
Participants need to be age 40 to 70 years of age and be willing to spend an hour in a scanner.
Service dogs for veterans with PTSD
This clinical trial will be conducted at three locations in the U.S., including the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Its purpose is to determine how veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are helped by a service dog versus an emotional support dog.
Participants must be at least 18 years of age, have a referral from a mental health provider to document their PTSD, be enrolled in mental health services at the VA, be able and willing to care for a dog and meet other criteria.
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