What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests a new medical treatment, drug, or device to determine if it is safe and effective. Clinical trials usually happen in phases. Early phases focus on safety and finding the right dose, while later phases look more closely at how well the treatment works compared to current standard treatments.
Why are clinical trials important?
Clinical trials are important because they are the only reliable way to find out if new treatments are safe and effective. This research helps improve people’s quality of life and may help people live longer by testing better ways to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure diseases.
What role does the Association play in clinical trials?
The Association’s Clinical Trials Network serves as a platform to connect patients, doctors, and researchers to help clinical trials run more efficiently. Instead of each hospital running studies independently, the Clinical Trials Network is a place where researchers can share expertise, use the same study plans, and enroll patients more efficiently.