Clinical trial

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Clinical trial

A clinical trial is research study on human volunteers designed to answer specific health questions. The purpose of a clinical trial is to find out whether a medication or treatment regimen is safe and effective against a specific condition or disease.

Clinical trials compare the effectiveness of the study medication or treatment against standard, accepted treatment or a placebo. Early trials (phase I) establish the safety, toxicity, and safe dosing ranges of a new treatment.

A clinical trial may be sponsored by a government agency, such as the National Institutes of Health, or a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company. All clinical trials are guided by government regulations to insure that participants are not likely to be harmed and that they fully understand the risks and benefits of participating.

Credits

Author	Jeannette Curtis
Author	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Last Updated	May 25, 2007

Last updated:	May 25, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman

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