Health Library: Research Toolkit: Learn about Clinical Trials

NT Health Research Governance Office

The NT Health Research Governance Office can provide advice and assistance for staff undertaking a clinical trial or research project.

Visit the NT Health Research Contacts for more information before you commence your project.

Learn about clinical studies

A clinical study involves research using human volunteers (participants) that is intended to add to medical knowledge. There are two main types of clinical studies :

clinical trials (interventional studies) and
observational studies (non experimental)

A clinical trial is undertaken to evaluate a new intervention (therapy or drug). Trials are conducted over a series of phases where first the establishment of safety, tolerance or dose may be tested. As the experiment progresses through the various phases researchers determine feasibility and acceptability, efficacy and finally effectiveness under controlled conditions.

An observational study may be used where an independent variable cannot be manipulated (such as in a prognosis question) or it may be unethical to manipulate independent variables (for some etiology questions).

Learn in more detail about Clinical Studies at AustralianClinicalTrials.gov.au or search the Clinical Trials Registry to view trial registrations in Australia.