"A clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines, new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials (also called medical research and research studies) are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people."

The above explanation of a clinical trial comes from ClinicalTrials.gov, the site designed by the National Institutes of Health in collaboration with the Federal Food and Drug Administration and the National Medical Library. This is the official source of information on the latest research studies, including valuable information about how to participate in a clinical trial yourself.

For more medical advice from these official sources on over 500 diseases and conditions, also check out MEDLINEplus.