Clinical trials constitute a way of finding new and innovative treatments to improve human health, alleviate the symptoms of a disease or cure it. Clinical trials are conducted with human subjects to confirm the clinical, pharmacodynamic and pharmacological effects of a medicinal product and to confirm the safety, efficacy and effectiveness of tested drugs, therapies or medical procedures. They are also supposed to identify adverse effects that a given medication may cause.

The first and foremost priority of any clinical trial conducted is the safety of the Patients who take part in it. Clinical Trials are conducted in strictly defined conditions, according to the trial protocol that describes all procedures, stages of the trial and evaluation criteria. Before the trial starts, the protocol must be reviewed by external safety authorities and receive a positive opinion from the Bioethics Committee and approval from the relevant authorities to ensure the protection of the rights and safety of the trial participants. Before entering the trial, each participant goes through the process of signing an Informed Consent to Participate in the clinical trial, during which they are familiarised with all aspects of the trial. Most importantly, the trial participant has the right to withdraw from participation at any stage of the trial without suffering any consequences.

The path of a new medicinal product is very long and before a clinical trial is conducted with humans, the investigational medication/drug undergoes a series of tests and studies in laboratories to assess its safety and applicability in humans. Any tested substance that has a potential to become an effective drug goes through four different phases of clinical trials conducted under the supervision of scientists and doctors.