| Unfortunately, many people with bipolar | | | | studies for several reasons. Unlike |
| symptoms are unable to get the | | | | traditional clinical trials, they offer |
| treatment, medications and support they | | | | multiple different treatments and |
| require due to financial difficulties. | | | | treatment combinations. |
| There is an option, however. | | | | In addition, they aim to include large |
| Some people with bipolar disorder | | | | numbers of people with mental disorders |
| receive medication and/or psychosocial | | | | living in communities throughout the |
| therapy at no charge by volunteering to | | | | U.S. and receiving treatment across a |
| participate in clinical studies | | | | wide variety of settings. Individuals |
| (clinical trials). Clinical studies | | | | with more than one mental disorder, as |
| involve the scientific investigation of | | | | well as those with co-occurring physical |
| illness and treatment of illness in | | | | illnesses, are encouraged to consider |
| humans. | | | | participating in these new studies. |
| Clinical studies in mental health can | | | | The main goal of the real-world studies |
| yield information about the usefullness | | | | is to improve treatment strategies and |
| of a medication or a combination of | | | | outcomes for all people with these |
| treatments, the efficacy of a behavioral | | | | disorders. |
| intervention or type of psychotherapy, | | | | In addition to measuring improvement in |
| the reliability of a diagnostic | | | | illness symptoms, the studies will |
| procedure, or the success of a | | | | evaluate how treatments influence other |
| prevention method. | | | | important, real-world issues such as |
| Clinical studies also guide scientists | | | | quality of life, ability to work, and |
| in learning how illness develops, | | | | social functioning. They also will |
| progresses, lessens, and affects both | | | | assess the cost-effectiveness of |
| mind and body. Millions of Americans | | | | different treatments and factors that |
| diagnosed with mental illness lead | | | | affect how well people stay on their |
| healthy, productive lives because of | | | | treatment plans. |
| information discovered through clinical | | | | The Systematic Treatment Enhancement |
| studies. | | | | Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) |
| These studies are not always right for | | | | is seeking participants for the |
| everyone, however. It is important for | | | | largest-ever, "real-world" study of |
| each individual to consider carefully | | | | treatments for bipolar disorder. To |
| the possible risks and benefits of a | | | | learn more about STEP-BD or other |
| clinical study before making a decision | | | | clinical studies, see the Clinical |
| to participate. | | | | Trials page on the NIMH Web site at |
| In recent years, the National Institute | | | | visit the National Library of Medicine's |
| of Mental Health (NIMH) has introduced a | | | | clinical trials database at or contact |
| new generation of "real-world" clinical | | | | NIMH. |
| studies. They are called "real-world" | | | | |