Health & Fitness Tools

The Significance Of Drug Trials In Prescription Drug Development And Individual Health And Safety

29th March, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

Though over 4,000 clinical drug trials are being conducted at any given moment, few of us have occasion to think about them. Most people don’t know much about them unless they have the misfortune of coming face-to-face with serious illness themselves.

The medical care industry is quickly advancing and developing sophisticated electronic data records management systems which will make it easier for patients to be made aware of relevant drug trials that they could participate in. It may be the case that in the future you will discuss a drug trial during a routine visit to the doctor. Finding willing participants for drug trials will likely be easier for the companies who develop drugs and work on the drug formulation and the clinical trials manufacturing of new drugs.

The current system doesn’t make information on drug trials easily available to doctors or patients and networking and extensive Internet searching is required. In most cases, the information must be quickly digested, deciding whether or not to participate in a short period of time. For those without a background in medicine or research, the decision can be incredibly confusing.

While the hope is that current patients will benefit from drug trials, the biggest benefit will be for the patients yet to come. Drug trials give people suffering hope that their treatment – which has shown enough promise to be granted a clinical trial in the first place – will put them on the road to restored health. For Medical practitioners and researchers, drug trial results provide valuable input into the effectiveness and potential of the drugs being tested.

There is a rigid and highly regulated process in place for conducting a drug trial. Following protocols to the letter is vital for a proper research process, so one may participate in a drug trial with a sense of safety and trust. However, it is important for participants and their family to understand that participation comes with a set of risks. The drug is still in the testing phase and has not yet been approved for the use that the trial is testing for.

Drug trials are a critical step in drug development and treating and conquering the diseases that afflict so many. The process of research and development is always in motion, which new ideas and new discoveries offering promise each and every day. Not every promising treatment will turn out to be effective, and their will be many dead ends along the way. However, without drug trials and willing participants, progress toward a healthier world would be slow indeed.