Inclusion criteria

The things you must have or be for a study to consider you.

Learning 

What it means

Inclusion criteria are the characteristics a participant must have — such as a particular diagnosis, an age range, or a specific test result.

Why it matters if you take part

They define the group a study is designed to learn about. Not matching them is not a judgement about anyone — it means this particular study is asking a different question.

Related terms

This explains how clinical research works. It is not medical advice and does not describe any specific condition or treatment. Only a trial site can determine whether someone can take part in a study.