Role of phase IV trials in determining the safety and efficacy of oral contraceptives. Guidelines for evaluation

The continued evaluation of a new drug after it reaches the general marketplace is of ever-increasing concern for pharmaceutical manufacturers and regulatory agencies. This interest in performance after the drug has come to market has spawned a new type of research, "postmarketing surveillance," or phase IV research. Often when a new drug comes to market, a phase IV trial is implemented to reevaluate the results of previously performed controlled clinical trials. While the primary strength of a phase IV trial is that it gathers a large amount of prospective data on many patients in a short time, this type of study is limited in design as compared to the rigorous, randomized clinical trial required to "prove" efficacy. This paper offers the obstetrician-gynecologist and clinical epidemiologist a 10-point checklist to employ when evaluating phase IV trials involving an oral contraceptive.

Published by The Journal of reproductive medicine, 1991. The guideline itself is at the source linked here.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2046080/