Anavex Life Sciences Corp (AVXL)

[rocalinda]

Pharmaceutical Companies Sponsor Clinical Trials, But Don't Directly Conduct Them
----
John Lechleiter, CONTRIBUTOR - Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Much of the news people hear about pharmaceutical innovation has to do with clinical trials. So I’m writing a series of posts about these trials, which underlie regulatory approval of new medicines.

The cost of developing medicines is a hot topic in health care. A recent Tufts study put the average cost to develop a new medicine at more than $2.5 billion. Many people don't realize that 60% of those costs are in clinical trials.

These trials provide information about the safety and efficacy of potential medicines, about how they should be used and who can benefit from them. Without this information, the molecules we discover and develop in our labs have no value.

So it may surprise you to learn that pharmaceutical companies don’t actually directly conduct clinical trials.

Clinical studies can be sponsored, and funded, by pharmaceutical companies – and most are. But they are carried out by independent organizations and professionals, following designs and protocols (Dr. Fadiran's job) agreed upon by all parties and approved by ethical review boards.
----

3 trials will be initiated this year. Book it!