Many studies need people who do not have health problems. These "healthy volunteers" help gather information that will be compared against those with specific health problems.
A healthy volunteer might become involved in:
- Observational studies, which follow people over time to track the changes in their bodies.
- Prevention studies, which test methods of preventing or reducing the risk of getting a disease.
- Screening studies, which test methods of detecting disease and illness. They can include imaging, laboratory tests, and genetic tests.