Clinical Trials: Risk or Success?

What is a clinical trial? It consists of a scientific research investigation that compares selected treatments to assess how it affects participants mentally and physically. Such trials are usually based on conventional medicine techniques. The participants involved in the trials tend to be volunteers, but there are private companies who pay participants a financial fee. The main objectives are using clinical trial research for new treatments are to find out if the trial medication treats the identified body areas, find out if it is safe to use (if so, how and if not, why not). There may be side effects linked to the treatments used so this is monitored as well. Clinical trials are not always tested on those with dis-orders, it may be tested in normal functioning individuals. Regardless, there are also benefits to being a clinical trial tester, for example, being given the treatments before they are released to the public and receiving specialist care to examine and assess body systems so any existing dis-orders can be identified.

Clinical trials tend to go through phases and on final completion will be approved by an official organisation, like FDA (Food and Drug Administration), so that it can be sold and used in public medical treatment spaces. Before the treatment can be approved, it needs to be tested a large sample of participants and meet the specific criteria. Clinical trial results are not usually made public knowledge, but since the Covid jabs have been introduced the trial reports were made public so that individuals can make an informed decision about whether to have the jab or not. Such information is available for the public to access, but information about the pharmaceutical trials is not usually promoted.

There are many types of trials that investigate various forms of medication, like:

– treatment trials study the following: drugs (e.g., pain medicines, anti-convulsants); treatments (e.g., steroid injections, radiation )

;

– new approaches to surgery (e.g., spinal instrumentation, dural sealants);

– and novel methods (e.g., gene therapy, deep-brain stimulation).

(Types of trials taken from https://mayfieldclinic.com/pe-clintrial.htm )

Prevention trials study medicines, vitamins, minerals, or exercises that may lower risks of developing certain diseases.

Screening trials test the best way to find a disease or condition through methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammography, or blood tests.

Quality of life trials study the benefits of treatments (e.g., side-effect reducing drugs) or lifestyle changes (e.g., support groups, dietary changes) that may improve quality of life.