If you are following the news about clinical trials for the various coronavirus vaccines being tested, then you may be wondering how these are carried out. One important part of the process of developing new vaccines, along with other medications, is the clinical monitoring of those acting as guinea-pigs.
For Health And Safety
Clinical monitoring is the process in which those testing the medications being developed (or, acting as placebo-testers) are monitored as to their health and physical developments as the trial continues. Clinical research assistants will run various tests on the patients several times over the course of several weeks (or longer) to see if the medication works, what the side effects are, and to make sure that the medication is not dangerous. This helps ensure that those actually taking the medication while being tested are not being harmed in the process, as per current guidelines for the ethical treatment of human subjects.
The information collected in the process of clinical monitoring is important for both the medical research at hand and the test subjects themselves. Clinical research organizations who run these trials can see if their medication is effective or not, compare the results with what they hypothesized, and still make sure that the test subjects aren't harmed.
For Scientific Rigor
Another important aspect of clinical monitoring in the clinical research world is that the information collected allows for research organizations to publish accurate and precise results showing the effects of the tested medications or treatments. This means that the clinical monitoring allows for the scientific process to be carried out to the best ability the research organization has. This not only keeps the public safe with (hopefully) guaranteed-safe medications, but also allows for the scientific community to take advantage of the materials presented.
For example, one of the most famous clinical trials, the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, has been used over and over again for further research into how starvation affects the human body. This experiment was performed in 1944 as the United States government realized that the end of WWII would still leave food insecurity in its wake. The government decided it needed research into how food insecurity affects those afflicted by it and how the treatment should be performed. The clinical trial resulted in two volumes of information about the human body, which helped push medical science forward by immense amounts.
Clinical monitoring of test subjects in clinical trials is incredibly important, as it ensures the safety of the test subjects, the effectiveness of the medication being tested, and the expanse of medical knowledge modern society can take advantage of. For more information about clinical monitoring, reach out to a professional.
Share17 August 2020
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
