A "new drug" refers to a medication that has recently been developed or approved for use. This can include treatments for various conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, or infectious diseases. New drugs undergo rigorous testing in clinical trials to ensure their safety and effectiveness before they are made available to the public. The process of bringing a new drug to market typically involves several phases, including laboratory research, animal testing, and human trials. Regulatory agencies, like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), evaluate the data from these studies to determine if the drug can be prescribed to patients.