3. Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are conducted in three phases.
Phase I: Involves a small group of usually-healthy volunteers (though sometimes patients) who take the drug so investigators can assess safety, explore dosage ranges, and monitor for side effects. Phase I trials last several months to a year or more. This timeline can vary depending on the complexity of the drug, the number of dose levels evaluated, and how easy it is to recruit healthy volunteers.
Are you curious about people who volunteer to participate in early (high-risk) clinical trials? We recommend this [OPTIONAL] NPR report on exactly that subject. As the article points out, up until the 1970s, new drugs were often tested on prisoners. That has changed, but there are still challenges around social equity.
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