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Is
my study observational or interventional?
Observational Study:
A biomedical or behavioral research study of human subjects designed
to assess risk factors for disease development or progression,
assess natural history of risk factors or disease, identify
variations based on geographic or personal characteristics
(such as race/ethnicity or gender), track temporal trends,
or describe patterns of clinical care and treatment in absence
of specific study-mandated interventions.
Interventional Study:
For purposes of reviewing grant applications and contract proposals submitted
to the NIH, a clinical trial is operationally defined as a prospective biomedical
or behavioral research study of human subjects that is designed to answer specific
questions about biomedical (drugs, treatments, devices, or new ways of using
known drugs, treatments, or devices) or behavioral interventions.
Clinical trials are used to determine whether new biomedical or behavioral interventions
are safe, efficacious and effective. Clinical trials of experimental drug, treatment,
device or behavioral intervention may proceed through four phases:
- Phase I
- Phase II
- Phase III (see also NIH-Defined Phase III Clinical Trials)
- Phase IV
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