Take part in arthritis research

Research discovers new things and solves problems

It searches for the answers to important questions we don’t know the answers to yet. It doesn’t just happen in hospitals; it can happen in your community 

To make changes to the well-being and treatment of people living with arthritis, we need to do research. We fund researchers to explore new treatments and services.  

Research doesn’t happen without you, you can:  

• Read and talk about research by learning about new projects or research findings and sharing these with other people. 
• Take part in a research project by doing things like completing surveys, being interviewed or testing new medicines to answer key research questions.
• Have your say on the research we fund by helping Arthritis UK and our researchers to focus on what matters most to people with arthritis 

Read and talk about research 

Find a research study to take part in

Research needs people to take part to answer the important questions. 

Why should I take part in research?

There are many reasons why people choose to take part in research: 

• To improve healthcare for others by helping researchers to find and develop new treatments, tests and tools. 
• To learn more about their condition. 
• To try a new treatment or device. 
• To be more closely and regularly monitored by health and care professionals. 
• To help researchers learn important new information.  

The results from research are applied to all communities. But often, there is not an equal mix of people, for example different ethnicities, ages, and genders, in the projects. Taking part in research is important for all.  

Not only does it offer the chance to access the latest treatments but unless you take part, the medicines and healthcare of the future may not be suitable for you, your children and their children. 

How can I find a research study to take part in?

If you'd like to know more about Be Part of Research, in May 2026, we hosted the session in partnership with the NIHR: Be Part of Research team to take you through the platform and to hear directly from some researchers looking for people for their project.

What kind of research can I take part in? 

There are many different types of research. Some test new treatments or require samples, others may involve interviews or surveys. 

A lot of research will be carried out in hospitals or clinics, but some will be based in universities, research centres and, increasingly, in the community. Some people participate in research from their own homes through telephone interviews or written questionnaires. 

Research can be carried out by many different people, but often researchers are the doctors and healthcare professionals who treat you. 

Some research may require your one-off involvement, while others may have several follow ups over a period of time. Below are some examples of what this may involve: 

• A trial comparing two treatments. 
• Surveys or focus groups to understand people’s experiences. 
• Observation over a period of time. 
• Collecting information about lifestyle or nutrition. 
• Having a scan or a blood test. 

Researchers will explain what’s involved in their study before you decide if you want to take part. It’s always your choice whether to take part and you can change your mind at any time. 

Have your say on the research we fund 

We fund researchers to explore new treatments and services. Your thoughts and opinions help guide us and our researchers on what is important to people living with arthritis. 

Anyone with lived experience of arthritis, or living with a person with arthritis, or a partner or family member, can be part of this.  

You could:

• Join funding panels to assess whether you believe a researcher or their project should receive our funding.  
• Help us to prioritise the important unanswered questions.  
• Work directly with researchers, shaping their research to make sure it focuses on what’s important to and needed by people with arthritis.  

You do not need any experience contributing to or working in research. We are here to explore different ways to support you to make sure your views are heard and acted upon. 

People who shape research with us are called our Research Partners. We are actively looking for research partners who are ethnically and culturally diverse, and those who are living with disabilities.  

Getting involved won’t cost you anything other than time; most of our research work together is done online. Our research partners find working with researchers and us rewarding, inspiring and part of their self-management journey.  

Sign as a research partner and help us make a difference.

How do I know if it is a good research project? 

Most research projects are reviewed by at least one independent panel. For example, a group of people with arthritis and researchers, read and discuss all research projects that Arthritis UK give funding to. They do this so that we give our funding to high-quality projects most likely to make a real difference. 

All research done in the NHS must follow guidelines, which make sure that the project is safe, ethical and of a high quality. 

If you decide to take part in a research project, you can find out if it has been approved by an ethics committee. It’s their job to look after your rights and well-being. The ethics committee will look at the information you’ll be given and check that it contains all the information you’ll need to make a decision about taking part in the research. It will make sure that the information is presented in a fair and balanced way. Research projects can't start without this approval. 

Whatever research you take part in, you should feel happy and confident about your role 

If you decide to be involved in a particular project, you can choose at any time not to continue. Whether you were approached or you volunteered yourself, you can leave the project at any point, and you don’t have to give a reason. It won’t affect your normal care, and it doesn’t mean that you can’t take part in research in future.