HIV Infections — Evaluating Immune Function Tests in People With HIV
Citation(s)
Bucy RP, Kilby JM Perspectives on inducing efficient immune control of HIV-1 replication--a new goal for HIV therapeutics? AIDS. 2001 Feb;15 Suppl 2:S36-42. Review.
Bucy RP Immune clearance of HIV type 1 replication-active cells: a model of two patterns of steady state HIV infection. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1999 Feb 10;15(3):223-7.
HIV Antigen-Specific Immune Responses - A Comparison of Alternative In Vitro Assays From Subjects Characterized as Either "Stable HAART" or "Efficient Immune Control"
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
