Though the importance of clinical trials in the introduction of new drugs and treatment is fairly recent, the use of clinical trials can be traced to the 1600s. The East India Company sent four ships from Europe, but supplied only one ship with lemon juice. Modern clinical trials are more complicated to conduct than the study mentioned above. Ideas for clinical trials primarily originate from scientists who are experts in the area of the medical condition targeted for study. Once researchers test new therapies or procedures in the laboratory and promising results are obtained, planning commences to design the trial project.
Subjects tend to be randomly allocated to study and control groups.
Phase IV studies are conducted after the treatment has been marketed. No clinical trial is an entity unto itself. Each trial should be considered as part of an evolving research program. Confirmatory studies are essential for all clinical trials. There are several reasons why clinical trials, in and of themselves, are important.