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Editorial

Nature 444, 790 (14 December 2006) | doi:10.1038/444790a; Published online 13 December 2006

The elephant in the room

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A biotech trial that went awry.

Sooner or later during the life of any drug candidate, there comes the time when it must be administered to humans. Phase I clinical trials, or 'first in man' trials, will always carry an inherent risk; the critical thing is how to manage the risk to the paid participants who volunteer as test subjects.