Each day, there is breaking news regarding a developing drug, therapy, or medical device that can vastly improve the lives of individuals living with a variety of health concerns. The news report will often describe the potential treatment, the lab working on the development, and the estimated date of approval. Somewhere in this report, you might also find a note which states that the treatment is currently undergoing clinical trials. To learn more about these trials and why they are done, continue reading below.
What Are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are a sort of test-run for therapies and emerging drugs, helping prove their safety and efficacy before they are made available to the general public. Before they receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration, they must undergo vigorously documented trials. These trials most often include double-blind studies, in which one group receives the therapy and one receives a placebo treatment; results are compared to determine how effective the treatment is compared to a placebo. However, depending on the development, other types of trials might also be used, including animal trials and focus groups.
Why Are They Done?
Clinical trials are performed to ensure every treatment which is made available to patients is both safe and beneficial. These trials help weed out any therapies which are deemed ineffective or dangerous, as well as those which have a low success rate when compared to placebo groups. Over the past century, clinical trials have helped refine and improve the quality and standards of medical care and continue to better treatment options for a broad range of diseases.
For more information on clinical trials or help conducting your own trials for a developing therapy, contact Rochester Regional Health Laboratories. Serving the Monroe County, NY, community since 1975, this health care lab specializes in a number of services, including drug and STD testing. To learn more about their lab tests and services, visit their website or call (585) 525-5227 today.
