Health Research

Term	Definition
Clinical Trial	A research study conducted to test a new treatment, like a medicine or other therapy. When it comes to testing medicines, clinical trials are known as Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products (CTIMPs), and they have additional special rules and regulations that need to be followed. These rules ensure the safety and effectiveness of the new treatment being tested before it can be made available to the general public and the safety of the people participating in the trials.
Opt In	An active choice, made by a participant or individual to be involved "in" research or provide their data for a research project. This is not a passive action, and cannot include individuals who have automatically been included.
Opt Out	An active choice, made by a participant or individual to not be be involved in research or provide their data for a research project. This can include idividuals who choose to not be included, or withdraw their consent to their data being included and are therefore excluded or "out" of any analyses of the data.
Patient and Public Engagement (PPE)	A purposeful set of activities designed to promote an ongoing two-way dialogue with the public about data and research, driven by active listening and responding. Example: A researcher attending science festivals to enhance the public’s understanding of a specific topic through engaging and interactive activities. See also: Patient and Public Involvement (PPI).
Patient and Public Involvement (PPI)	A process by which patients and the public are included in the decision-making process within a piece of work or research. By providing their own insights and advice from personal experience they can offer unique and valuable perspectives throughout the planning, development and implementation stages. See also: Patient and Public Engagement (PPE).
Peer Review	A thorough evaluation process to ensure the quality and validity of scientific studies before they are shared publicly. Reviewers assess the research by looking at things like the methods used and whether the conclusions are supported by the results. They may suggest changes before recommending publication, or they may advise against publishing.
Public Benefit	Also known as "public good", research or activity which is motivated by its benefit to society. This work often aims to provide evidence for public policies, services or decisions to ultimately improve lives. Example: health data research to learn more about the causes, characteristics, or effects of a disease or condition, and how to best treat it, to improve health and care of patients and the public.