From preclinical to approval: How clinical trials bring new treatments to market

Often we hear of new treatments becoming available, but have you ever wondered what each new treatment had to go through to get approved by a regulatory body like the FDA? Before a new treatment is approved for commercialization, it needs to go through a meticulous trial process to prove a number of things: Is the drug safe? What are the potential side effects? Does the drug do what it’s supposed to do? All of these questions and more need to be answered before a drug can be considered for approval by the FDA, so that’s where clinical trials come in. Here’s a breakdown of what’s involved in the drug development process, from preclinical through to commercialization and post-approval monitoring.

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How can I participate in a clinical trial or find out more?

  • You can learn more about research and clinical trials by joining or logging into PatientsLikeMe and clicking on the Research tab
  • Use the PatientsLikeMe Clinical Trial Finder to search for trials that could be a good fit for you
  • Check in with local associations and hospitals to see if they are recruiting for any trials
  • Talk to your healthcare provider/clinician to see if there are opportunities they are aware of and how you can participate
  • If you’re a member of PatientsLikeMe, make sure you consistently update your profile so we can let you know about research survey opportunities that are right for you

Interested in finding out more about how PatientsLikeMe members are impacting change in the clinical trial sphere? Check out these stories:

It’s Clinical Trials Day, and patients are driving change

“My expertise is as a person with Parkinson’s”: Member Lisa brings the patient voice to drug development

Bringing the patient voice to clinical trials

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