What are clinical trials?
Clinical trials are defined as
biomedical or health-related research studies that are carried out in humans
following an agreed protocol or
process. They are normally conducted in
order to test the efficacy of a treatment or compound, usually a potential new
medication. In the context of clinical trials, data on safety is also collected
including any adverse reactions, absorption, interaction with other
medications, metabolism and excretion of the product.
Clinical trials are mainly divided into
two different types of research:
-
interventional
studies – these are carried out to test the
effectiveness and safety of new treatments, or to study the effects of using an
existing treatment in different ways
-
observational
studies – these are designed to try to
identify the cause of a condition or illness, for example genetic or
environmental factors. Such studies may
also observe how a condition affects people differently and how it evolves over
time.
Both types of research are essential in
providing a better understanding of a condition, answering questions about its
causes and progression, and developing new treatments or a cure.
