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What Are Clinical Research Studies?

By , About.com Guide

Updated September 10, 2009

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Clinical research studies are studies conducted by researchers 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.

Examples of research studies not involving drugs or treatment options include such things as:

Common methods used in these types of research studies include:

Clinical Research Studies of Treatments

Treatments for physical and psychiatric conditions vary widely. Studies of these treatments include such things as:

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?.

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