You are correct, and I beleive I mentioned in my comment that the sole purpose of Stage I is to asses the minimal tolerated dosage. What I meant by the sentenc

You are correct, and I beleive I mentioned in my comment that the sole purpose of Stage I is to asses the minimal tolerated dosage. What I meant by the sentence you quoted is that because of the unknown human physiological consequences of the drug, it is usually only used on those who have no other recourse. Patients that have a clear course of treatment undergo those clear courses, and do not assume the risk of a Phase I drug.