- Published: January 21, 2022
- Updated: January 21, 2022
- Level: College Admission
- Language: English
- Downloads: 45
Clinical Trials The essay aims to address a two-fold objective, to wit to briefly describe clinical trials; and (2) to address issues related to clinical trials. Clinical Trials The distribution of certain medication and application of new treatment depends upon the result of the clinical trial. Clinical trials are biomedical and health-related research studies on human beings following a pre-defined protocol. Clinical trials are categorized into two: interventional studies and observational type of studies. Interventional studies involve research subjects selected by the investigator. The investigator is also responsible for their designated treatment or intervention. After the trial, outcomes are measured. Observational studies, on the other hand, are observation only of the individuals and measuring of outcomes by the investigator. In participating to a clinical trial, human subjects must be informed of its pros and cons. Among the pros of clinical trials are the following: the participants will be able to play an active role in their health care, they will be the first one to access to new research treatments before it becomes widely available, participants will be entitled to obtain expert medical care at leading health care facilities during the trial, and they will help others by participating to the medical research. Investigator must also inform the participants of the consequences such as possible occurrence of unpleasant, serious, or life threatening reactions during experiments, ineffective experimental treatment for the participant, and protocol complexity requiring more time and attention of participants. Although there are standard protocols for a clinical trial, ethical concerns cannot be avoided. Issues regarding confidentiality of information and beneficence might be violated. In discovering a new treatment, the risk involve in clinical trial does not guarantee good effect for the participant; the same goes through with unexpected leak of private information. Reference National Institute of Mental Health. (31 May 2011). Retrieved from http://www. nimh. nih. gov/health/trials/index. shtml