All research on drugs is conducted under the supervision of a doctor in Finland.
About one-fifth of medical tests involve treating cancer. The next most popular fields are the research of the central nervous system and treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
Some tests aim at gaining a sales licence for a drug, while others involve drugs already in use.
The majority of tests focus on the effectiveness and safety of a new drug. Dosage tests are also conducted in Finland.
Thousands of subjects may be involved in broad vaccine studies.
Before research can begin, it must gain the approval of an independent ethical committee. The research must also be reported to The National Agency for Medicines.
Volunteering test subjects may be compensated for lost income due to participating in the test.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 7.8.2006
