subject: Clinical Trials- Weighing The Benefits And Risks [print this page] There is no doubt to the fact that the clinical trials are a boon to the medical sciences and the pharmaceutical industry across the world. They play a vital role in determining the safety and efficacy of new drugs, medical treatments or devices and so on. In the realm of medical science, clinical trials have become a key instrument in the discovery and invention of new medicines or medical procedures for the betterment of society. But still, numerous questions have been raised against this practice as it makes human beings- the subject and tool for conducting the trials.
Participating in a clinical trial may benefit the patients in several ways but it is important to weigh down all its possible risks at the same time. After all, a clinical trial is about experimenting; nothing can be guaranteed. There are possibilities that instead of improving, it could further aggravate the health problems.
Some of the benefits of participating in clinical trials include:
A. Clinical trials are meant for the good of the people. They can prove to be very rewarding for those who cannot be treated with an existing regimen or drug.
B. Such trials may act as a life-saving or a life-improving opportunity for those who have been debilitated in some way.
C. Participating in clinical trials can be a ray of hope or saviour of life for those patients for whom debilitation or death are inevitable.
D. Clinical trials may also be quite beneficial for those who otherwise cannot afford quality medical care and treatment or those who can not, otherwise, have access to expert medical care.
E. Other than the personal benefits, there is also a bigger concern about the humanity while making a decision of participating in the clinical trials. By being a part of the clinical trials, one can greatly contribute to the field of medical research.
However, there are also some grave risks involved on the part of those participating in the clinical trials, such as:
1. There is no certainty regarding the outcome or the impact of the clinical trial. It may also turn out to be a life-threatening experiment if the things do not go as expected.
2. These trials may be accompanied with serious side-effects which may degrade your health and lifestyle.
3. Such trials usually involve lot of time and attention. It may require long stays in the hospitals and complicated dosing.
4. Though clinical trials are set to be totally objective but there have been instances when clinical frauds have been encountered.
However, federal regulations have been set up to guard the people against unreasonable risks associated with the clinical trials. Guidelines issued by the FDA and GCP strive to keep the ethics of the clinical trials intact. Courses at Clinical research Singapore is specifically designed to inculcate these values and guidelines among the clinical research students.
Healthcare management institute can help the students in understanding not only the technicalities involved in this profession, but can also lead them to be ethically strong professionals. ICRI Singapore is one such clinical research institute which can shape great careers in the area of Clinical Research.
