What are clinical trials and how do I find one?
Finding the best treatments for brain tumors still requires investigations of novel, promising drugs in humans with these diseases. While laboratory investigations in experimental animals provide valuable information on how such drugs might work in humans, the final proof is to study these drugs in patients with brain tumors. In order for a drug to enter a human clinical investigative trial, it has to pass a series of rigorous reviews to ensure that the patients who enroll in these trials are adequately protected. In order for a promising drug to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans with brain tumors, it must be examined in three types of clinical trials. Phase I trials attempt to determine if the drug is safe, and what the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of the drug is. Once the MTD is determined, a phase II trial is undertaken, and its goal is to determine how frequently patients respond to the drug when it is administered at the MTD.
A clinical trial is an ongoing study of new drugs, usually sponsored by a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company. The purpose of these studies is to determine if new drugs are safe and effective against specific types of diseases and illnesses. There are usually three phases of a clinical trial that measure safety, dosage and efficacy. If a drug is proven to have a statistically significant impact, it will be considered for approval of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Clinical trials are important to finding new treatments and require a sufficient number of people who meet the eligibility criteria to enroll. In successful trials, some patients may benefit from a better response to the study medication that the standard treatments. In addition, participants usually receive free medical testing. Often, the study medication is in the development process because it works differently than other drugs and may offer an alternative course of treatment. If you have decided that you may
