In the last 2 months, we highlighted what to know about phase I and phase II clinical trials. In the third of our four-part series, we are discussing phase III clinical trials.
Phase III trials study whether a new drug is better than the current standard treatment using a process called randomization. These trials typically enroll hundreds to thousands of patients in multiple trial sites across the country or around the world. Phase III trials also continue to study a drug’s safety. If the results of phase III trials show that the drug is safe and effective, the company that makes the drug can apply to the FDA for approval, thus allowing doctors to provide the medication to patients not enrolled in a clinical trial.
Visit the links below for more information on the goals of phase III trials, how safety is monitored, and how randomization works.
Phase III Clinical Trials 101
- National Cancer Institute (Video): Patient Safety in Clinical Trials
- American Cancer Society: Types and Phases of Clinical Trials
- National Cancer Institute (Video): What Are Clinical Trial Phases?
Clinical Trial Randomization
- National Cancer Institute (Video): Randomization in Clinical Trials
Finding Clinical Trials
- Metastatic Trial Search: Phase III Trials
- Solid Tumor Trials: Trials That May Include Phase III Trials
Last Modified on September 26, 2023