Clinical research studies are designed to evaluate or learn more about such things as the safety and effectiveness of a medication, genetics issues regarding medical and psychiatric conditions, treatment options, etc. Research studies regarding medications and treatment options are called clinical trials and are required before approval to be used on patients.
Examples of research studies not involving drugs or treatment options include such things as:
- Research studies to learn more about disorders that may occur together, such as bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.
- Research studies to give insights into issues such as bipolar disorder and smoking.
- Research studies that look at the progress of bipolar disorder such as brain changes.
- Research studies that explore how mental illnesses run in families.
- Questionnaires where people are asked about such things as family history, habits (like smoking), etc.
- Psychiatric tests such as The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), and the Major Depression Inventory (MDI).
- Chart reviews, where patients' histories are examined and relevant data extracted and analyzed. A 2009 study of the use of a thyroid hormone for treatment-resistant bipolar depression used the chart review method.
- Genetic testing through the analysis of blood samples.
Clinical Research Studies of Treatments
Treatments for physical and psychiatric conditions vary widely. Studies of these treatments include such things as:- Research studies evaluating the safety and effectiveness of a particular type of surgery.
- Research studies that compare two types of treatment, for example, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) versus painkilling medication.
- Research studies that look into the connection between treatments and other medical conditions.
Clinical Trials of Medications
In the United States and many other countries, new medications must undergo rigorous testing before they are approved for use. These clinical research studies are called clinical trials. These trials test the safety and effectiveness of the drug in question, looking for such things as how many people in the test respond well or poorly, what side effects occur, how many people drop out because of side effects, and many other criteria.For in-depth information on clinical trials, see What Are Clinical Trials?.
