What Is A Clinical Trial
Clinical research or study involves research using human volunteers (also called participants) that is intended to add to medical knowledge. There are two main types of clinical studies: observational studies and clinical trials (also called interventional studies). Observational Studies Observational studies observe people in normal settings. Researchers gather information, group volunteers according to broad characteristics, and compare changes over time. For example, researchers may collect data through medical exams, tests, or questionnaires about a group of older adults over time to learn more about the effects of different lifestyles on cognitive health. These studies may help identify new possibilities for clinical trials. Clinical Trials The first recorded clinical trial was conducted in 1747 when the scientist, James Lind, conducted his first clinical trials on the efficacy of citrus fruits curing scurvy. There was no push for clinical trials after that for new medical devices...
