clinical trial

noun

: a scientifically controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic agent (such as a drug or vaccine) using consenting human subjects

Examples of clinical trial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Of course, Intuitive’s da Vinci system has been cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration and other medical regulatory agencies and has been tested in multiple clinical trials for various surgical operations. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026

AstraZeneca — The biopharmaceutical company tumbled 8% after its heart disease drug, Wainua, failed to meet its target in a late-stage clinical trial. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 9 July 2026

Although laboratory studies on cell cultures have shown some anticancer activity, and early clinical trials are underway, there is not enough evidence to support their use in cancer care. — Dannell D. Boatman, The Conversation, 8 July 2026

Base editing was used for the first time in a 2022 clinical trial to modify the immune cells of a UK teenager after doctors exhausted all other options to treat her form of leukemia. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clinical trial

• sensorial
• denial
• mistrial
• posttrial
• pretrial
• retrial
• dial
• rial
• thiol
• vial

Medical Definition

clinical trial

noun

: a scientifically controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic agent (as a drug or vaccine) using consenting human subjects