I am sometimes asked about the process that the medical drugs undergo before they can be prescribed to us by our medical professionals, so here is a brief outline for anyone who is interested.
The process of approving medicines for human use involves several stages of rigorous testing and evaluation to ensure safety, efficacy, and quality. Here’s an overview of the typical steps involved:
- Preclinical Research: Before testing a new medicine in humans, researchers conduct extensive laboratory and animal studies (preclinical research) to understand how the medicine works, its potential benefits, and any potential risks or side effects.
- Investigational New Drug (IND) Application: Once preclinical studies show promising results, the pharmaceutical company or researcher submits an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the regulatory authority (such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States or the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in Europe). The IND includes data from preclinical studies and outlines the proposed clinical trial plans.
- Clinical Trials: Clinical trials are conducted in multiple phases to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and dosage of the medicine in humans:a. Phase 1: These trials involve a small number of healthy volunteers to assess the safety and dosage range of the medicine.
b. Phase 2: These trials involve a larger group of patients with the target disease to further evaluate safety and efficacy, as well as to determine the optimal dosage.
c. Phase 3: These trials involve an even larger group of patients to confirm efficacy, monitor side effects, and collect additional information on safety for regulatory submission.
- New Drug Application (NDA) Submission: If the results of the clinical trials are positive, the pharmaceutical company submits a New Drug Application (NDA) to the regulatory authority. The NDA includes comprehensive data from preclinical and clinical studies, as well as information on manufacturing processes, labeling, and proposed packaging.
- Review and Approval: Regulatory authorities review the NDA to assess the medicine’s safety, efficacy, and quality. They may also inspect the manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). If the regulatory authority determines that the benefits of the medicine outweigh the risks, they approve it for human use.
- Post-Market Surveillance: After approval, the medicine continues to be monitored for safety and effectiveness through post-market surveillance studies, adverse event reporting, and ongoing regulatory oversight.
It’s important to note that the approval process can vary slightly between countries and regions, but the fundamental principles of ensuring safety, efficacy, and quality remain consistent. Additionally, the approval process can take several years and involves significant investment of time, expense, resources, and expertise.
