All medications must be tested before doctors can prescribe them to patients. This testing happens in clinical studies, also called clinical trials, in which patients who take part help improve healthcare. The clinical trial process happens in 3 main phases:
- Phase 1 trials: These early studies test how often the drug should be taken and what dose is safe. A Phase 1 trial usually enrolls only a small number of patients.
- Phase 2 trials: A Phase 2 trial further tests the safety of the drug and begins to test how well it works. Phase 2 studies usually include patients with a certain disease.
- Phase 3 trials: These are large studies designed to test the effectiveness of a potential treatment and further define the safety profile.
- — The Horizon Trial is a Phase 3 trial.
Learn more about clinical studies at clinicaltrials.gov.






