We often hear that a certain medical company is conducting clinical trials. But what they are and how they are conducted is the common question that we all get in our minds. Well, it’s time to fill our knowledge reservoir with how clinical trials are conducted and what the phases of the same are. If you are curious, then you will find detailed information about the various phases of clinical trials in the medical industry.
#1 – First Phase
The first phase is the beginning of the trials, where the researchers start recruiting the participants based on their requirements. The recruitment of the participants is quite a difficult process and takes a lot of time. Once the recruitment is completed, the researchers start the actual trial, where they administer the dosage of medicine to a small group of participants. Depending on the nature of the trial, they can divide the participants into multiple groups or keep them in a single group. The main aim of the first phase is to check the safety of the medicine in patients and then proceed further.
#2 – Second Phase
The second phase is one of the most important phases, in which the number of participants rises. The researchers have concluded with the safety of the medicine or treatment regime, and now they want to see the overall effectiveness of the same. They administer higher dosage to a large group of people and adjust the dosage accordingly.
The researchers keep a keen eye on the participants while administering the medicines to see any kind of adverse effects and the overall efficacy of the treatment. This is quite useful, as they confirm if the trial is going in the right direction or not. If everything is satisfactory, then they move to the next phase.
#3 – Third Phase
The third phase is the final stage in the actual trial process, in which they have to mentor the participants. This is the longest phase, as the researchers have to thoroughly check the participants for all of the physiological and psychological changes after administering the medicines. Everything has to be documented well, as this is useful in arriving at a conclusion and submitting the application to concerned medical authorities for final approval.
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#4 – Approval Phase
The approval stage is the crucial part of the trials, as the researchers have to prepare all the reports, analyze the collected data, and submit the application for approval to the concerned authorities. Once the application is submitted, it’s a waiting game.
When the trial is approved, the medicine or the treatment regime tested in the trials can be made available to the public.
Final Words
Clinical trials go through different stages to make sure new treatments are safe and effective for people who need them. Each phase helps researchers gather important data about the medicine’s efficacy and safety, which in turn will help them get the final approval from the authorities to make it available publicly.