What Are the Different Types
of Clinical Trials?

There are several types of clinical trials with different objectives and durations. These phases have been developed specifically for testing pharmaceutical drugs.

Phase I Trials:

• The primary objective of a Phase I trial is to define the proper dosing of a new drug or treatment and identify side effects and safety. A Phase I trial usually enrolls only small groups of patients (20-80).

Phase II Trials:

• A Phase II trial provides information about the benefit, further effectiveness, and safety of a new drug or treatment. Phase II trials may focus on particular health aspects in certain diseases, and they are conducted with larger groups of patients (100-300).

Phase III Trials:

• Phase III trials further test effectiveness of a new drug or procedure and compare it with the current standard therapy. Phase III trials typically involve large groups of patients (1,000-3,000) from clinics and centers nationwide.

Phase IV Trials:

• Phase IV trials are conducted after the drug or treatment has been already marketed and is available for general use. These trials continue to collect information about the drug or treatment’s effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use. This trial is also called a post- marketing surveillance study.

Contrary to drugs, which are chemical molecules that are toxic to the body, vitamins and nutritional supplements are natural components of our food. They are safe and, therefore, the FDA does not require clinical testing of them. However, Matthias Rath Company sets high scientific standards and conducts extensive Phase I and Phase II randomized double- blind placebo-controlled clinical trials. These trials utilize natural compounds and document the effectiveness and safety of nutrients with and without conventional treatment in various aspects of health.

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Read about the different kinds of clinical studies.