Discovering experimental treatment procedures.
The phases of experimental treatments.
When an experimental treatment is being tested, it is commonly known as a clinical trial. Four phases serve as vital points when scientists are evaluating the results. The four phases of experimental treatments according to the National Cancer Institute are:
- Phase I Trials – Medical personnel test to evaluate the safety, calculate dosage limits, and search for possible side effects. This test is done using 10-80 participants.
- Phase II Trials – This phase helps doctors study how effective the experimental treatment or drug is with more participants. By using 100-300 people, doctors can also further assess the safety.
- Phase III Trials – Used to confirm how effective it is to the disease, this phase helps doctors collect vital information. They also record side effects results and compare the experimental treatment to other popular treatments. This test is usually administered to 1000-3000 people.
- Phase IV Trials – Used to answer questions about what risk is involved, any beneficial news, and what is the optimum use for the experimental treatment.
ClinicalTrials.gov lists risks including possible life-threatening procedures and chance of not receiving beneficial results.
Experimental treatment cases.
There are several kinds of experimental treatments for individuals suffering from Mesothelioma, a cancer associated with asbestos. However, they are all under their initial stages. Not all Mesothelioma experimental treatments were successful. Gene therapy and Photodynamic therapy proved to fail with disappointing results. Gene therapy treatments were successful with animals but displayed poor results in humans. Photodynamic therapy treatments proved to be of no significant benefit.
Individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease have tried the new experimental treatment drug called Dimebon. US News and World Report wrote Dimebon has shown great promise helping to improve the ability to perform daily tasks. After two analysis tests, results showed an increase in memory, orientation, and a better grasp of communicating with others.
Rasansky | McKenzie Law is committed to being an advocate for individuals who are hurt or disabled from receiving experimental treatment. Knowing what to do will allow prompt action and response from you and your doctors. If you feel that you are a victim of medical malpractice, do not hesitate to fill out our free case evaluation form. Our medical malpractice lawyers will gladly review the facts of your situation.