Various clinical studies run at the IFB AdiposityDiseases. A clinical trial is being realized controlled and systematically analyzed on a large number of patients or healthy study participants. Thus it is possible to evaluate the success of new therapies, pharmaceuticals or medical devices impartial. Through the results of clinical trials doctors gain a greater confidence in dealing with new methods of treatment.
Every clinical trial has to be previously examined and assessed regarding its safety for the patients by an ethical review committee. Studies that apply pharmaceuticals or medical devices must also be approved by the responsible higher federal authority.
A controlled study compares two or more groups of patients. Patients of the so-called “intervention group” receive e.g. a new treatment method and the control group receives an alternative treatment. This comparison is important to find out the real effect of a treatment.
To obtain reliable results, it is also necessary to restrict external factors influencing the study results as far as possible or better yet to exclude them. This can be e.g. the age, gender or physical condition of the patient. Through a random allocation of the study participants to the treatment groups can be achieved that these factors are evenly spread among the groups. Thus, the same initial conditions exist within the groups.
Moreover, there are studies in which only certain medical facts are observed and documented. Such studies are called non-interventional or observational studies. Based on such studies e.g. information on the incidence or prognosis of diseases can be obtained.
Clinical trials take place in the following research areas of the IFB: