|
|
|
Clinical trials are a very important step in the biomedical research process. Promising research approaches from the laboratory are tested in humans in a clinical trial. This is the final step needed for the Federal Drug Administration to evaluate and approve the use of drugs and devices in the US, and releases these new treatments so that physicians can prescribe them to their patients. Most clinical trials recruit participants from all over the country. In addition to asking your doctor, one good way to find out about clinical trials that are recruiting patients is to visit a good Web site that shows clinical trials in progress, such as Government Clinical Trials For example, this site shows three clinical trials recruiting new patients in March 2002. Two are looking at the efficacy of lung reduction surgery, and the third is evaluating retinoic acid as a treatment for COPD.
|
|