AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/clinical-trial
Clinical trial
A clinical trial is a research study that tests a treatment in people to find out whether it is safe and whether it works.
Summary
- New medicines pass through phases. Phase 1 tests safety in a small group, and phase 3 compares the medicine with existing treatment in large numbers.
- In a randomised controlled trial, chance decides who gets the new treatment, which makes the comparison fair.
- Every participant must give informed consent and can withdraw at any time.
- A research ethics committee must approve a trial before it starts.
In practice
- The AI designed coronavirus vaccine trial was a phase 1 study. 39 healthy adults were given a vaccine never used in people before, to check side effects and dose.
- The law counts consent to a trial only if it is "given freely" after the person is told its "nature, significance, implications and risks", and a participant can withdraw at any time.
Interview questions
- Why are trials randomised?
- Is it ethical to give some patients in a trial a placebo?
- A patient asks whether they should join a trial of a new drug. What would you want them to understand?
Sources
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/…/42155675
- legislation.gov.uklegislation.gov.uk/…/1
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.