Clinical Trials - GCSE Biology

🦊 In this GCSE Biology video, we detail the process of clinical trials for testing new drugs, emphasizing key points important for exams. Initially, drugs are tested on healthy volunteers at low doses to check for unexpected side effects or toxicity. If deemed safe, the drug is then tested on patients to assess efficacy. This includes conducting double-blind trials, where neither the doctor nor the patient knows if the real drug or a placebo is being administered, to eliminate bias. Following efficacy tests, further trials determine the optimum dose, balancing factors like cost, side effects, and effectiveness. Finally, the results of these trials are only published after being peer-reviewed by other scientists to ensure accuracy and prevent the dissemination of invalid information. Understanding these stages and terms—like toxicity, efficacy, double-blind trials, optimum dose, and peer review—is crucial for exams.

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