The clinical trial could either be an Explanatory Trial/ Randomised Control
Trial (RCT) or Correlational Trial/ Pragmatic Trial. For developing new molecules as a
drug, RCTs require human studies conducted in 4 phases called Phase I to phase IV of
clinical trials. Pragmatic Trials are Correlational Trials. As such RCT & Pragmatic
Trials are not dichotomous, there is a continuum. A PRECIS has been developed to
assess the said trials. The reverse pharmacology approach is recommended to generate
scientific evidence to make herbal drugs more efficacious & safe. These aspects are
elaborated on in this chapter.
Keywords: Clinical trial phases precis, CONSORT, Randomized control trial (RCT), Reverse pharmacology.
