It is important for medical consumers to understand the drug approval process and how to gain access to clinical trials that may cure their illnesses. Drug approval is a complex process but a simple overview and two United States government website can help consumers to understand how drugs are approved.
In several developed countries, a uniform procedure exists for determining if new drugs are safe and effective for use in humans. The International Conference on Harmonization created a common format for reporting the results of clinical studies that test new and investigational drugs in patients. The universal document is called the “Common Technical Document” and is accepted in various formats by the European Union, Japan and the United States.
To determine drug safety, FDA scientists review data generated in clinical studies that is submitted to the FDA in the form of the common technical document. Originally, the common technical document submitted to the FDA was a paper document. Recently, an electronic version of this document has been introduced.
In several developed countries, a uniform procedure exists for determining if new drugs are safe and effective for use in humans. The International Conference on Harmonization created a common format for reporting the results of clinical studies that test new and investigational drugs in patients. The universal document is called the “Common Technical Document” and is accepted in various formats by the European Union, Japan and the United States.
The FDA is Responsible for Drug Safety in the United States.
In the United States of America, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, abbreviated FDA, is charged (Code of Federal Regulations 21 CFR 314.50) with maintaining the safety of food, drugs and other substances used by humans. The FDA is part of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. An important part of the FDA’s responsibility is determining the effectiveness and safety of drugs that are prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists.To determine drug safety, FDA scientists review data generated in clinical studies that is submitted to the FDA in the form of the common technical document. Originally, the common technical document submitted to the FDA was a paper document. Recently, an electronic version of this document has been introduced.