What stage of the drug approval process gives the study compound to animals?

The correct answer is D, Preclinical. This stage of the drug approval process specifically involves laboratory studies and testing the study compound on animals to evaluate its safety and biological activity before it is tested in humans. Preclinical studies are crucial for determining the correct dosages, potential side effects, and the overall safety profile of the drug, which are essential components to inform further clinical trials.

The insights gained from preclinical research help to establish whether the drug is worthy of advancing to human trials, which is the next phase in the approval process. This stage is preceded by extensive research and development, including synthesizing the compound and preliminary in vitro testing.

In contrast, Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III refer to the stages of clinical trials where the drug is administered to human subjects to assess its safety, efficacy, and possible side effects. Each of these phases builds on the findings of the preclinical studies, testing the drug on progressively larger groups of patients while gathering more comprehensive data on how well the drug works and its impact on human health. Thus, it is clear that the administration of the drug to animals occurs during the preclinical stage before any clinical trials involving humans take place.