What are clinical trials?
New treatments and tests must undergo a thorough process before they become available to the public. After extensive research and planning, scientists need volunteers to try their new treatment to determine whether it’s safe and effective in humans. This testing phase is called a clinical trial.
Clinical trials give medical researchers an opportunity to see how a new test or treatment affects human patients. They also allow patients with chronic diseases and conditions, such as acne, psoriasis, or even cancer, to try a new treatment before it’s approved for public use.
What can clinical trials do?
Clinical trials are an important step in providing the public with safe, effective tests, treatments, and medical technology. These treatments and tests are carefully designed, researched, and tested in animals before humans can try them.
Medical researchers use clinical trials to study the following:
- New uses for drugs that are already FDA-approved
- Drugs not yet FDA-approved for public use
- Different ways to administer medications
- Alternative medicines and supplements
- New types of testing to track disease
- Modern procedures, such as minimally invasive surgery
Island Dermatology uses clinical trials to find new treatments, tests, and procedures for both medical and cosmetic dermatology.
What is involved in clinical trials?
Participating in a clinical trial is a multistep process that requires approval from your doctor. Every clinical trial has its own set of eligibility requirements. Criteria like age, sex, ethnicity, and medical history can determine your eligibility for a specific clinical trial. For patients with cancer or another chronic illness, the severity of your condition can also affect your eligibility.
If you do meet the eligibility criteria for a clinical trial, the providers at Island Dermatology must run a series of tests before clearing you to participate.
One important aspect of some clinical trials is testing a treatment or test’s efficacy. To truly understand whether a treatment is having its intended impact, researchers only give it to some of the participants. The other participants receive a placebo. A team of researchers tracks your progress whether you’re given the treatment or the placebo.
Most clinical trials take several months or years to complete. If you’re interested in participating in a clinical trial through Island Dermatology, call the location nearest you or request an appointment online.
