Clinical trials are experiments or observations done in clinical research. Such prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants are designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietary choices, dietary supplements, and medical devices) and known interventions that warrant further study and comparison. Clinical trials generate data on safety and efficacy.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever thought about participating in a clinical trial as a quick way to make cash. All joking aside, these studies are carefully controlled and rely on human participants who are administered a treatment while being closely monitored.

Clinical trials help scientists assess both the safety and effectiveness of products and medications, and they’re essential to the advancement of science. They are critical for finding better ways of understanding, preventing, diagnosing, and treating our whole selves. Clinical trials are always evaluated by experts to ensure the participant’s health is safeguarded.

In addition, you may see the term “double blind”. This means that any information that may influence the behavior of the tester or the subject is withheld until after the test. This is important to prevent research outcomes from being ‘influenced’ by the placebo effect or observer bias.

So, if you’re ever questioning a claim a product makes, ask for the clinical trial data.