Stages of Drug Testing

Drug testing is a long process. It is also very costly.

Go onto the next card to see how it is done.

This involves lab tests done on human cells/tissues or on live animals. Lab tests are done to check whether the drug is dangerous or poisonous.

This involves clinical trials on human volunteers. Stage two is done to check what the highest dosage that can be taken safely of the drug is. Also any side effects are recorded.

This involves trials on patients suffering from the target disease. This stage is done to check whether the drug actually works, because some patients are given the drug and some are given a placebo. A double-blind trial is carried out which means that neither patient nor doctor know who has taken the placebo's. This makes it certain that the drug actually works.