B6

• What happens if the new drug is successful?

  It proceeds to a clinical trial
• What are the stages of a clinical trial?

  1. Healthy volunteers test small doses for safety.
  2. A small number of patients test low doses for effectiveness.
  3. A larger group tests various doses to find the optimum dose.
  4. A double blind trial assesses the drug's effectiveness.
• What is the purpose of Stage 1 in a clinical trial?

  To check if the drug is safe
• What do healthy volunteers do in Stage 1?

  Try small doses of the drug
• What is tested in Stage 2 of a clinical trial?

  Effectiveness of the drug at a low dose
• What occurs in Stage 3 of a clinical trial?

  A larger number of patients test different doses
• What is the goal of Stage 3 in a clinical trial?

  To find the optimum dose
• What is a double blind trial?

  Neither patients nor researchers know who receives what
• Why is a double blind trial conducted?

  To ensure the drug's effect is accurately measured
• How are participants grouped in a clinical trial?

  Randomly using a computer database
• What is given to each participant in a clinical trial?

  A unique code for their treatment
• What is a placebo in a clinical trial?

  A treatment that has no therapeutic effect
• What do monoclonal antibodies do in cancer treatment?

  Trigger the immune system to destroy cancer
• How do monoclonal antibodies block cancer cell growth?

  By blocking receptors on cancer cells
• What is a benefit of using antibodies in cancer treatment?

  They can carry toxic drugs directly to cancer
• What are the advantages of monoclonal antibodies?

  • Bind specifically to diseased cells
  • Healthy cells remain unaffected
  • Fewer side effects than conventional treatments
• What are the disadvantages of monoclonal antibodies?

  • More side effects than expected
  • Not widely used as anticipated
  • High production costs