Clinical trials are a crucial component of medical research, development and breakthrough. They are key to enhancing patient care and medical knowledge. There are various factors to consider when discussing the importance of clinical trials, some of which are discussed further below.
Medical Breakthrough.
Clinical trials are important for establishing new treatments for diseases, as well as new ways to reduce, detect and diagnose the likelihood of developing a disease. The reason clinical trials are carried out is usually to show researchers what does and does not work in human beings that cannot be discovered in the laboratory or in animal testing.
Clinical trials also assist health professionals to decide if the side-effects of a new treatment are acceptable, counter to the possible benefits. Researchers are not privy to the outcome of clinical trials, and this uncertainty can make it hard for a patient to make a decision regarding whether to participate in a clinical trial or not.
Patient Participation.
While clinical trials are essential, the decision to take part in one is very personal and differs depending on each unique situation.
Some participants are motivated purely by wanting to do good or make a difference, whilst others may even be interested in financial gain which is made possible sometimes by paid research studies such as those conducted by https://www.trials4us.co.uk/ongoing-clinical-trials/. Whatever the reasons, the participants and doctors must weigh the benefits against the risks and ultimately decide what is best for the participant, when presented with a clinical trial.
Only about 1 in every 1,000 potential medicines tested actually make it to clinical trials, according to The American Cancer Society, and to be that 1 out of the 1,000, it usually means the treatment has been found to be safe and has some possibility of being effective.
While in uncommon cases, participants have been hurt by the procedure or treatment provided on a specific clinical trial, millions of people have been helped because other people prior to them decided to participate in a trial that resulted in a new, more effective medicine or treatment.
Clinical Trial Process.
Each trial is headed up by a Principal Investigator who prepares the protocol for each clinical trial. The protocol defines the procedures to be carried out during the clinical trial and the reasons for each procedure. There are also committees initiated principally to ensure the protection of patients.
