Medical science is in a constant rush to find new treatments for identified diseases. Over the past decades, many new treatments and medicines have been confirmed. It is a process of medical science where the research team is regularly striving towards making treatments more accessible and effective for people. You may be thinking about clinical trials when talking about new treatments.
Common questions may pop up like, what is the process of clinical trials, who performs it, the phases of trials, etc. Well, at research institutes team of professionals performs clinical trials using specific tools and machines. Various clinics and hospitals conduct clinical trials. One such clinic is Indiana Neurology and Pain Center. At our clinic, we have set up for clinical trials. Teams outside of college can also register for trials at our clinic. If you are looking for clinical trials near you, contact us today!
What are clinical trials?
Clinical trials, as the name suggests, are a process of testing and confirming the efficacy of a new treatment. Simply put, prior to introducing a new treatment or medical device in the market, a trial process is conducted to ensure the efficacy of the treatment. This process is commonly termed as clinical trial. There are multiple phases of trials and a new treatment or device has to pass through all the phases to be eligible for the use. In this blog, we will discuss all about the phases of clinical trials and how it is done. So, read on to learn more.
Types of clinical trials at INPC
Be it for an existing or a new disease, medical research never stops. Through these continuous efforts, it has been possible to develop vaccines and treatments for various health conditions and serious diseases. One of the most recent advancements has been in the case of Covid-19. The vaccine that saved millions of lives. Do you wonder what are the different types of clinical trials being performed?
At Indiana Neurology and Pain Center, we conduct various clinical trials. If you are looking for paid clinical trials, INPC could be one of the best choices. Here, we will discuss about the various trials that INPC conducts:
- Interventional trials
In interventional trials, researchers divide patients into different groups. Researchers are free to manage and intervene in groups. after the process starts, the researchers create reports of the trials on the basis of these groups and their response to a specific drug.
- Observation trials
Under observational trials, researchers do not create any group. Additionally, the researchers do not intervene but only observe the behavior of the participants. The way they response to a specific drug without any intervention or control by the researchers.
Broadly, these are two types of clinical trials. Under these, researchers conduct different types of trials. Be it ‘depression clinical trials’ or drugs for cancer or other diseases. To learn more about clinical trials, you may contact us today!
Phases of clinical trials
When a new treatment or medical device undergoes a trial, it can consist of one or multiple phases. In some cases, it can be just one phase while some may include 2-5 phases of trial. It depends on the purpose, type, and expected efficacy of the treatment. Broadly, there are 5 phases of clinical trials. Here we have a list presenting the 5 phases of clinical trials:
- Phase 0
Also known as the first phase of the trial, Phase 0 involves low amounts of drugs. In this phase, the aim is to ensure the drug has no side effects on the body. It also tests if the drug reaches the target cells or body parts and how it reacts. The amount is small enough to cure any condition. However, it also doesn’t usually cause any serious side effects.
- Phase 1
Phase 1, which is the 2nd phase of clinical trial, involved a larger amount of drug than phase 0. This phase involves only a smaller number of patients. The completion of this phase may take time. The purpose is to identify the amount of drug that is safe for the patient. testing side effects and efficacy of the drug is also a part of this phase.
Prior to this phase, the patients may have to undergo certain tests to ensure they are ready for the trial. After the first set of patients benefits, researchers give larger doses to the second set of patients, and the process goes on until the team finds out the maximum dose amount The aim of Phase 1 is to figure out the maximum dose and the side effects of the same. Not all treatments may pass this phase. Those who pass head towards the next phase.
- Phase 2
Trials that pass Phase 1 are ready for the Phase 2 trial. In this phase, a larger number of people participate than in phase 1. In this phase, the target is to create groups of patients with the same or different diseases and test the treatment on them. Some of the patients may also be a part of the trials on a random basis. This is known as a randomized trial. For instance, in cancer treatment trials, patients with the same type of cancer may be a part of one group for testing in this phase.
- Phase 3
The fourth phase of clinical trial, Phase 3 can involve over a thousand patients for trial. Researchers create random groups of participants for trial. In this phase, the researchers aim to compare existing treatments (if any) for a disease with the new treatment. The target is to compare the efficacy, doses, side effects, and success rates of both treatments. This is also the reason why a larger number of patients have to participate.
- Phase 4
Phase 4, the final, and the 5th phase of a clinical trial is for drugs that are now final. These are the drugs that have received the license status. In this phase, a larger number of people participate in the trial for the test. Even the rarest of side effects are known in this phase. Phase 4 also tries to understand the long-term effect of a drug and what it does in the body.
Conclusion
At Indiana Neurology and Pain Center, we provide paid clinical trials to researchers. We are well-equipped to help you conduct trials. To learn more about our clinical trial services and the types of trials conducted, you may connect with us today!
We are currently operational at two centers:
- 7301 N Shadeland Ave, Clinic 1A Physical Therapy 1C, Indianapolis, IN (317-939-6100)
- 3850 Shore Drive, Clinic 203, Physical Therapy 201, Indianapolis, IN (317-939-6100)