The drug approval process is a series of steps that a new medication must go through before it can be sold to the public. This process typically begins with laboratory research and animal testing to assess safety and effectiveness. If successful, the drug's developer submits an application to regulatory agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for review. Once the application is submitted, the agency evaluates the data from clinical trials involving human participants. These trials are conducted in phases to gather more information about the drug's safety, dosage, and side effects. If the data meets the required standards, the drug is approved for public use.