"Consider the clinicaltrials by which drugs are tested in human subjects.5 Before a new drug can enter the market, its manufacturer must sponsor clinicaltrials to show the Food and Drug Administration that the drug is safe and effective, usually as compared with a placebo or dummy pill. The results of all the trials (there may be many) are submitted to the FDA, and if one or two trials are positiveâ€”that is, they show effectiveness without serious riskâ€”the drug is usually approved, even if all the other trials are negative."

-- Marcia Angell

You may also like: