What is the role of healthy volunteers in clinical trials?

• A. Healthy volunteers are used as controls
• B. Healthy volunteers receive the highest dose
• C. Healthy volunteers are used for marketing
• D. Healthy volunteers are excluded from data

Answer: (A)

Healthy volunteers provide a baseline comparison to understand how a drug acts without the influence of a disease. In early trials, they help establish safety, tolerability, and how the body processes the drug (pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics). This baseline data, often including placebo or dose-escalation cohorts, shows what the drug does in individuals without illness and guides safe dosing for later studies in patients. They’re not for marketing, and the highest dose isn’t automatically given to them; safety limits and study design determine what is tested. Their data are included to build a clear safety and PK profile that informs subsequent trials.