Before a new medicine becomes available on the NHS, there are a series of phases which test if the medicine is safe and works:
Phase 1:
- Small number of people in the recruited, usually healthy volunteers.
- This is first time it is trialled on human.
- This phases assesses for side effect and the correct dose.
Phase 2:
- Larger group of people with MS.
- Assess how people respond to the medicine.
Phase 3:
- Larger group of people with MS (2,000 +).
- The medicine will be compared to another drug or to placebo, to test its response.
- This phase can last a few years.
Phase 4:
- This phases assess its long term use in practice.
There are many MS trials in the UK, not just for medication, these could be physio related. To search for a trial local to you, please click the link below and add Multiple sclerosis into the search button.