Scientists require millions of test subjects in order to develop safe drugs. Researchers are often looking for new test subjects because they are concerned about compounds that might remain in the bodies of test subjects who have undergone multiple trials. Once researchers find the appropriate test subjects, they carry out experiments in multiple phases.

Potential Risks

While the job is not demanding for test subjects, it can be very dangerous. In some cases, volunteers can suffer health problems that can lead to them suffering from organ failure, contracting conditions or even losing limbs. Participants can suffer from horrible side effects and are often required to consume bland food. There are some cases where trial subjects are forced to remain in a location for an extended period.

While treatments may have potentially harmful side effects, they are typically tested on animals before being tested on humans to identify toxicity. However, there may be some side effects that are not discovered when testing animals. While efforts are made to control risks, risks are inherent in the drug testing process. Therefore, the laboratory is responsible for making sure that the test subjects know all of the risks involved.

Benefits to Test Subjects

In addition to being compensated for trials, many test subjects choose to participate in a trial because they hope to benefit from the treatment. They may have exhausted all available treatment options and may wish to take a risk with a treatment that could treat the condition.

The Clinical Trial

The goal of a clinical trial is to answer certain questions. The new treatment must be tested to determine how it compares with already existing treatments. It may be more or less effective and it may have greater or fewer side effects. The drug is tested in several phases. In the first phase, doctors try to determine the appropriate dosage. Researchers must determine how the drug is metabolized and excreted.

During the second phase, the researchers try to gather further information about the drug's beneficial effects and try to ascertain how safe the drug is. When the drug has reached phase three, the researchers will test the drug on a larger number of subjects.

The products effectiveness and potential side effects are tested on thousands of subjects. Having a large sample size is essential because the test results will be more accurate. In some cases, phase three is the last phase and the product is released. However, in some cases, follow-up studies are performed to identify any additional health concerns. To learn more, contact a company like Drug Development Consultants. 

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