DRUG CLINICAL STUDY: PHASE 2 (published yesterday)
PHASE 2: In Phase 2 studies, researchers administer the drug to a group of PATIENTS WITH THE DISEASE or condition for which the drug is being developed. Typically involving LESS patients than phase 3, these studies AREN'T LARGE ENOUGH to show whether the drug will be beneficial. Sometimes phase II clinical trials will assign different people to several possible treatments. This may include standard treatment compared with standard treatment plus the treatment being studied. Phase II clinical trials give doctors more information about the treatments safety and how well it works. Instead, Phase 2 studies provide researchers with ADDITIONNAL SAFETY DATA. Researchers use these data to refine research questions, develop research methods, and design new Phase 3 research protocols. Doctors need to show that the new treatment is likely to work and that its as safe as standard treatment. If it is, research can move to phase III clinical trials.