Who is typically the first to test a new drug in clinical trials?

In clinical trials, the first individuals to test a new drug are typically healthy volunteers or patients during Phase I trials. This initial phase is crucial because it focuses primarily on assessing the drug's safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. By starting with a smaller group of healthy volunteers, researchers can closely monitor for adverse effects and determine how the drug behaves in the body without the complications introduced by diseases or other concurrent conditions.

Phase I trials are designed to explore safety rather than efficacy, which means that participants may not necessarily have the condition the drug intends to treat. This allows for a well-controlled environment to observe how the drug works at different dosages and its metabolic processes. Additionally, starting with a smaller cohort helps streamline the observation of any immediate side effects, providing valuable insights before larger, more diverse groups are involved in later phases of testing. This approach is foundational in clinical research, ensuring that risks are managed before moving on to larger studies.