Clinical Trials
What are clinical trials and why are they important?
Key Points
- Clinical trials can be experimental or observational research studies, depending on the research question.
- Clinical trials are commonly done to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of newer treatments/medications on human health.
- They provide robust evidence for the safety and efficacy of newer treatments and drugs and maybe a single-center, multicenter or international study.
Helpful Links, Videos and Online Courses
Overview
Videos
- Understanding Clinical Trials (7-minute video)
- Phases of Clinical Trial (7-minute video)
- Clinical Trials – What You Need to Know (2-minute video focusing on biopharmaceuticals)
Relevant Publications
- Schultz, A., Saville, B. R., Marsh, J. A., & Snelling, T. L. (2019). An introduction to clinical trial design. Pediatric Respiratory Reviews, 32, 30-35.
- Janiaud, P., Serghiou, S., & Ioannidis, J. P. A. (2019). New clinical trial designs in the era of precision medicine: An overview of definitions, strengths, weaknesses, and current use in oncology. Cancer Treatment Reviews, 73, 20-30.
- Thorat, S. B., Banarjee, S. K., Gaikwad, D. D., Jadhav, S. L., Thorat, R. M. (2010). Clinical trial: A review. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research, 1(2): 101-106.
