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Research is the key to new medical discoveries that can improve the lives of children. Medical research involves both healthy volunteers and volunteers with the disease or illness being studied. In a recent National Poll on Children’s Health report, adults across the U.S. recognized that medical research in specific areas is very important for children’s health, but researchers are continually challenged to find volunteers to participate in their studies.

We asked a national sample of parents of children for their views on medical research involving kids. While two-thirds of parents were not aware of opportunities for their children to participate, 44% said they’d allow their children to participate in medical research if their children had the disease being studied. Parents were more willing to allow their children to participate in research involving questions about eating or nutrition than research involving testing a new vaccine. Read the full report: Medical research needs kids, but parents not aware of opportunities.

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The National Poll on Children’s Health has measured participation in research before, but children’s participation has remained almost unchanged since 2007. This year, just 5% of parents said their children have participated in medical research. But nearly half of parents said they’d be willing to have their children participate if the children had the disease being studied. This presents an opportunity for researchers and other medical professionals to help make sure parents are aware of studies that might interest their children.

Watch Dr. Matt Davis discuss medical research participation in this quick video: