In the United States, it is not unusual for there to be hundreds of clinical trials at a time actively recruiting people across the country to help evaluate treatments for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. New trials are planned, approved, and begin recruiting volunteers regularly.

Their objectives are wide-ranging. Some seek to find out why patients stop taking existing antipsychotic medications. Others determine the safety and effectiveness of new antipsychotics, combinations of old and new drugs, or medications designed to treat side effects.

CenterWatch (www.centerwatch.com) maintains a frequently updated website that lists ongoing clinical trials. It helps patients find trials that match their interests and needs. The company neither promotes nor is involved in the trials, but it does provide information that makes it easy for users to learn about and apply for them.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health maintains the website www.clinicaltrials.gov, which enables consumers to locate clinical trials by location, sponsor, drug intervention, or condition. It also provides a useful glossary and background information.

In any clinical trial some of the results are due to chance. At the end of the trial, researchers use a formula to establish the statistical significance or the results.

Try to coordinate your choice of clinical trial with the advice of your personal doctor, if possible. Participation in a study does not replace treatment by your regular doctor. Most trials do take over all of your medical care. Your doctor and the sponsors of the trial will coordinate their activities so neither the study nor your needed treatment is compromised.