clinical (and pre clinical) trials

• 1st stage of drug testing

  - preclinical testing

  - tested on human cells and tissues in labs

  - can't use human cells and tissues to test drugs that affect whole or multiple body systems
• 2nd stage of preclinical testing

  - test on live animals

  - learn abt efficacy, toxicity and dosage

  - British law states must test on two different live mammals
• 3rd step is when


  Clinical trials start
• Clinical trials step one

  - test on healthy volunteers

  - make sure no harmful side effects on normal body

  - initially take low dose then increase it
• Clinical trials step two


  - if stage one successful, drug can be tested on people suffering from illness

  - find optimum dose (most effective, fewer side effects)
• Clinical trials step three

  - find how well drug works by dividing into two groups, placebo and real drug

  - helps doctor identify how good drug is and allows for placebo effect
• Clinical trials step four

  - trials are blind (patient doesn't know if getting placebo or real)

  - some trials are double blind, neither patient nor doctor knows which is which so doctors can't be subconsciously influenced when analysing and monitoring
• Clinical trials step five


  - results of testing and trials aren't published until have been through peer review, to prevent false claims