Clinical Trials in Europe: How Patients Can Participate in the Latest Medical Research

Cancer Research & Clinical Trials

From innovative cancer therapies to quality-of-life research and rare disease studies, European clinical research is creating new opportunities for patients to contribute to medical progress. But who can participate, and how can patients find a suitable study?

Medical research is advancing rapidly across Europe, with clinical studies investigating new cancer treatments, cardiovascular care, infectious diseases and personalised medicine.

For patients, participating in research may offer an opportunity to access investigational treatments, contribute valuable health information or help shape the future of healthcare.

Importantly, participating in medical research does not always mean testing a new medicine. Some studies invite patients to complete questionnaires, share their experiences, contribute biological samples or collaborate with researchers to improve healthcare services.

Recent European initiatives are also placing greater emphasis on patient involvement, recognising that those living with a disease can provide insights that traditional clinical measurements may overlook.

However, finding an appropriate study is not always straightforward. Eligibility requirements, geographic restrictions, disease characteristics and recruitment availability can influence whether someone can participate.

1. What types of clinical studies can patients join?

European research offers several different forms of participation, depending on the study's objectives and the patient's medical circumstances.

Interventional clinical trials

Evaluate investigational medicines, new treatment combinations, medical devices or other interventions. These studies assess factors such as safety, effectiveness and tolerability.

Observational studies and registries

Collect information about diseases, treatments and patient outcomes without necessarily changing the care patients receive.

Patient and public involvement (PPI)

Invites patients and caregivers to help design studies, review information materials, identify research priorities and improve how research is conducted.

Quality-of-life research

Investigates how illness and treatment affect daily activities, emotional wellbeing, relationships and overall quality of life.

Understanding these differences is important because each form of participation has different potential benefits, risks and responsibilities.

2. European research initiatives involving patients

Several major European programmes illustrate how clinical research is becoming more inclusive and patient-focused.

These are examples of established research initiatives, rather than a verified list of studies currently enrolling participants. Recruitment should always be confirmed with the organisers.

EUonQoL – Improving quality of life after cancer

The EU-funded EUonQoL project incorporated cancer patients and informal caregivers as research partners in developing tools to measure quality of life.

Participants contribute perspectives on issues such as symptoms, psychological wellbeing and daily living. This helps researchers develop assessments that reflect patients' real experiences.

Research model: Patient involvement and quality-of-life assessment.

iCARE4CVD – Personalising cardiovascular care

The PRIC-CVD study involves patient panels across Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Researchers aim to incorporate patient experiences into digital healthcare tools, treatment-adherence strategies and individualised cardiovascular care pathways.

Research model: Patient panels, interviews, surveys and usability testing.

VACCELERATE – European volunteer registry

The pan-European VACCELERATE network connects people interested in clinical research with organisers of potential future studies.

Its volunteer registry welcomes individuals with and without existing health conditions and has registered more than 107,000 volunteers. Registration does not guarantee an invitation to a trial.

Research model: Volunteer registration and potential study matching.

ITCC and SIOPE – Paediatric and adolescent cancer research

European paediatric oncology networks support collaborative trials investigating new treatment approaches for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer.

Their work is particularly relevant to rare childhood cancers and diseases with limited established treatment options.

Research model: Specialist oncology trials and collaborative research networks.

3. Can clinical trials provide access to innovative cancer treatments?

For patients with advanced cancer or cancers that have not responded to standard treatment, participation in clinical trials may be an option worth discussing with their oncology team.

Early-phase studies may investigate new targeted therapies, immunotherapies or treatment combinations before they become available in routine clinical practice.

A European study by Guerra and colleagues, examining 736 patients with haematological malignancies who participated in early-phase clinical trials between 2008 and 2023, reported encouraging findings:

• 31.9%: Overall treatment response rate as reported by the researchers.
• 27.5%: Received investigational medicines subsequently approved by authorities.

Guerra et al., European Journal of Haematology, published online in 2024. These findings describe a specific historical study population and do not predict the benefit of joining another trial.

The results demonstrate that early-phase clinical research can generate meaningful therapeutic responses in some patients.

Nevertheless, experimental treatments are not guaranteed to work. They may cause serious adverse effects, and participating in a study may require frequent hospital visits, additional testing or travel.

Patients should carefully discuss the potential benefits, uncertainties and alternatives with their treating physician.

4. Why clinical trial eligibility matters

Every clinical trial follows a defined study protocol that specifies who can participate.

These eligibility criteria help protect participants, ensure the study can answer its scientific questions and reduce factors that could distort its results.

While requirements vary considerably, researchers often assess the following factors:

Eligibility factor	What researchers may evaluate
Diagnosis	Confirmed disease type, stage and medical history
Molecular characteristics	Specific genetic mutations or tumour biomarkers
Previous treatments	Prior medication, surgery, radiotherapy or treatment response
General health	Kidney, liver, blood and cardiovascular function
Physical condition	Ability to carry out everyday activities, often measured by ECOG performance status
Age and other characteristics	Any protocol-specific age or reproductive requirements
Study commitments	Ability to attend appointments and complete required procedures
Informed consent	Understanding the study and voluntarily agreeing to participate

For oncology patients, molecular testing can be particularly important.

Some precision medicine trials are designed for tumours carrying specific genetic alterations rather than for everyone with a particular cancer diagnosis.

For example, a study evaluating a targeted therapy may require confirmation of an eligible mutation through molecular testing.

Having the correct cancer diagnosis does not automatically mean a patient qualifies for a trial. Likewise, having a specific biomarker does not guarantee eligibility.

A specialist research team must assess the complete medical history against the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria.

5. How clinical trials are becoming more inclusive

Historically, many clinical trials excluded patients with certain coexisting conditions, reduced physical performance or abnormal laboratory results.

Although some restrictions are necessary for safety, excessively narrow eligibility criteria can make study populations less representative of patients treated in everyday clinical practice.

Modern research frameworks increasingly encourage more proportionate criteria where scientifically and medically appropriate.

These changes may include accommodating patients with stable chronic conditions, considering people with previously treated brain metastases, introducing flexible appointments and improving accessibility for participants with disabilities.

Patient engagement can also help researchers identify practical barriers that might otherwise go unnoticed.

For example, a patient may be medically eligible but unable to attend frequent appointments because of transportation costs, work commitments or caregiving responsibilities.

Addressing such challenges may allow more people to participate without compromising research quality.

6. Patients are becoming research partners, not just participants

An important development in European healthcare research is the recognition that patients can contribute expertise beyond their clinical data.

People living with cancer, chronic cardiovascular disease or rare conditions often have first-hand knowledge of challenges that healthcare professionals may not fully appreciate.

Patient and public involvement initiatives allow them to contribute to decisions about how studies are designed and conducted.

For example, cancer patients may help researchers decide which quality-of-life questions are most meaningful, whether patient information materials are understandable, or which research outcomes matter most.

The EUonQoL project has formalised this approach through a structured patient-involvement framework, while PRIC-CVD integrates patient perspectives into cardiovascular care research.

This shift supports a broader goal: conducting research with patients, rather than simply conducting research on patients.

7. Where can patients find clinical trials in Europe?

Finding suitable cancer clinical trials in Europe is often one of the first challenges for patients interested in participating in research. Fortunately, several public resources can help.

European Medicines Agency – Clinical Trial Map

The official European trial map allows patients to explore clinical research locations and search by medical condition. Recruitment information should be confirmed with the study centre.

Explore European clinical trials.

ClinicalTrials.gov

A global clinical research database that can be filtered by medical condition, country, age and recruitment status.

Search clinical studies.

VACCELERATE Volunteer Registry

A European registration platform through which interested volunteers may receive information about potentially relevant future studies.

Explore the VACCELERATE network.

Before contacting a research centre, patients may find it helpful to prepare a brief medical history, details of their diagnosis, previous treatments and any molecular testing results.

For cancer patients, their oncologist can help interpret trial information and determine whether a study may be medically appropriate.

8. Why molecular information may help patients explore precision oncology trials

As cancer research becomes increasingly personalised, molecular information can play an important role in identifying relevant clinical research opportunities.

Traditional oncology trials frequently focus on a specific cancer type or organ. However, some modern studies investigate treatments for tumours carrying particular genetic alterations, regardless of where the cancer first developed.

This creates opportunities for research approaches that integrate information from several biological layers. For example:

• Genomic analysis may identify DNA alterations relevant to molecularly targeted studies.
• Transcriptomic analysis can provide information about gene expression and tumour activity.
• Proteomic analysis may reveal additional biological characteristics of cancer cells.
• Bioinformatics can help researchers interpret complex molecular data and investigate relationships between biomarkers, biological pathways and potential treatment approaches.

These technologies do not automatically establish clinical trial eligibility. However, they may provide additional insights that specialists can consider when evaluating research opportunities.

This is particularly relevant to complex or treatment-resistant cancers, where understanding the biological characteristics of an individual tumour may help inform further clinical discussions.

9. Understanding cancer through multi-omics analysis

OmixMe uses a multi-omics approach to explore the molecular characteristics of individual tumours, integrating different layers of biological information with advanced bioinformatics and computational analysis.

Depending on the type and suitability of the biological sample and the scope of the analysis performed, this approach may provide information relating to:

• Genetic alterations: Variations in tumour DNA that may have potential biological or research relevance.
• Gene expression: RNA-based information that can help characterise molecular activity within the tumour.
• Protein expression: Information about proteins and biological processes associated with tumour characteristics.
• Molecular pathways: Insights into biological mechanisms potentially involved in cancer development and progression.
• Integrated molecular profiles: Combined interpretation of multiple molecular data types to provide a broader picture of tumour biology.

The potential relevance to clinical trial participation

Some oncology clinical trials investigate therapies targeting specific molecular alterations. Examples of biomarkers used in certain research protocols include alterations involving BRCA1, BRCA2, BRAF, EGFR and NTRK genes.

Molecular information generated through OmixMe analyses may support further scientific and clinical discussions about the characteristics of an individual tumour and their potential relevance to ongoing research.

Where appropriate, healthcare professionals may consider this information alongside a patient's diagnosis, medical history, previous treatments and other clinical findings when exploring available research opportunities.

OmixMe does not determine trial eligibility, guarantee trial placement or replace standard clinical diagnostics and treatment decisions.

10. The future of clinical research: Making participation more accessible

European medical research is moving towards a future in which patient participation in research is more collaborative, personalised and potentially accessible across national borders.

New therapeutic approaches, stronger research networks and patient-centred study designs are expanding the possibilities for medical research.

Nevertheless, significant barriers remain. Geographic inequalities, differences in healthcare infrastructure, strict eligibility requirements and logistical challenges can still prevent patients from participating.

Addressing these barriers will require continued collaboration between research institutions, clinicians, patient organisations and healthcare policymakers.

The future of medical research depends not only on discovering new treatments, but also on ensuring that more patients have a meaningful opportunity to contribute to — and potentially benefit from — scientific progress.

Interested in learning more about your cancer's molecular characteristics?

Understanding the biological features of a tumour may provide valuable additional information for discussions with a treating oncology team.

Explore how advanced multi-omics analysis can contribute to a more detailed understanding of cancer biology.

Learn more about OmixMe.

Molecular analysis is not a guarantee of clinical trial participation or access to investigational therapies.

Scientific references

1. Engelaar, M., et al. (2024). Collaborating with cancer patients and informal caregivers in a European study on quality of life: protocol to embed patient and public involvement within the EUonQoL project. Research Involvement and Engagement.
2. Steiner, B., et al. (2025). Participative research for individualised care in cardiovascular diseases (PRIC-CVD): study protocol for a non-interventional, multicentre mixed-methods study as part of iCARE4CVD. BMJ Open.
3. Guerra, V., et al. (2024, online publication). Relevance, Risks, and Benefits of Early-Phases Clinical Trials Participations for Patients With Hematological Malignancies From 2008 to 2023. European Journal of Haematology.
4. Rauwolf, K. K., et al. (2025). Inequalities in availability of clinical trials for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients with cancer in Europe: results from the SIOPE OCEAN project. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe.
5. European Medicines Agency. Clinical Trials Information System and European Clinical Trial Map.
6. VACCELERATE European Research Network. Volunteer Registry and European Clinical Research Participation.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified clinician. Diagnosis and treatment decisions belong with the treating medical team.