Frequently Asked Questions
This web page provides information about the clinical trials process and what it means for you to volunteer to participate in a clinical trial.
- Should I Join a Trial? [ answer ]
- What is a Clinical Trial? [ answer ]
- What Can I Expect? [ answer ]
- What Happens After the Trial?
What Happens After the Trial?
When a clinical trial ends, several things might happen. For a serious illness, a pharmaceutical company might continue to provide the study medication to those patients who are responding well. On some occasions, a patient will stop receiving the investigational treatment. In this case, a patient may have to wait for the drug to become available to the public.
After a study is complete, all of the information is collected and analyzed. This information determines whether a study drug is working, whether it is safe and whether it has any side effects. Medical advisors and specialists closely review this data before approving any drug.
Even after a drug is approved, pharmaceutical companies will continue to conduct studies that compare the new drug - in terms of its safety, effectiveness and cost - to other drugs already on the market. Other research studies may determine if a therapy can be administered to children or special populations. And some studies assess a drug's long-term effectiveness and its impact on the quality of a person's life.
Without volunteers, there would be no new drugs to fight diseases and ailments.
Clinical data is collected to determine whether a study drug is working, whether it is safe, and its possible side effects. All data is closely reviewed before the drug is approved. Other factors such as long-term effectiveness and financial prudence is taken into consideration.