How to read eligibility criteria
Understand inclusion, exclusion, and which details to confirm before contacting a study site.
Start with the condition and stage
Eligibility criteria usually begin with the diagnosis, disease subtype, stage, severity, or genetic marker the study is designed around.
Match these words against your medical records rather than relying on a broad disease name. Small differences such as stage, receptor status, mutation, or prior relapse can change whether a trial is relevant.
Separate inclusion from exclusion
Inclusion criteria describe what a participant must have. Exclusion criteria describe reasons a person may not be able to join.
Read both lists before making a decision. A trial can look promising in the inclusion list and still require a detail to verify in the exclusion list.
Example:
Inclusion: ECOG performance status 0–1 (a scale doctors use to describe how well a patient can carry out daily activities); measurable disease per RECIST 1.1.
Exclusion: prior treatment with PD-1 inhibitors; active autoimmune disease.
A single line like this can rule a trial in or out — that's why both lists matter, not just the one that sounds more encouraging.
Use the criteria as questions
Eligibility text is not a final diagnosis or enrollment decision. Treat it as a checklist of facts to ask the study team or your clinician about.
When a requirement mentions labs, prior treatment, imaging, pregnancy status, travel, or washout periods (a required waiting time after stopping a previous treatment, before starting a new one), write it down as something to confirm.
Meeting the listed criteria doesn't guarantee enrollment — the study team reviews your full medical history and makes the final decision.
What to have ready
- Diagnosis and subtype
- Stage or disease severity
- Prior treatments and dates
- Biomarkers, mutations, or lab values
- Location, visits, and travel requirements
Make this easier next time
Add these details to your medical card once, and we'll automatically flag which trials you're likely eligible for — so you don't have to re-check the criteria manually every time.
