Find a clinical trial (2023)

Finding clinical trials can be difficult, especially if you don't know where to look or who to trust. Websites likePowerand ClinicalTrials.gov allow you to find clinical trials based on your location, disorder, and eligibility criteria. What's more, they offer all the regulatory and legal information, so you know they're trustworthy. Additionally, you can find clinical trials in a number of ways if you just know how to use search engines.

This article will provide a brief overview of the importance of clinical trials and how to find clinical studies near me.

Why apply for a clinical trial? What are the potential benefits?

As of November 2022, the number of registered clinical studies in areas outside the US was about 228 thousand; in the USA, that number was over 136 thousand.[¹] Therefore, thousands of clinical trials are registered annually, and participants are required to achieve measurable results. Clinical trials offer a data-driven approach to prevention, discovery and discovery of new treatments and drugs for specific disorders. But yes, clinical trials do not guarantee successful results. So why should you enroll?

One of the main benefits of joining a clinical trial is that you get access to professional medical care and health check-ups as part of your treatment, which would otherwise be expensive. If there are no treatments available for your condition and the trial is successful, you have access to a new treatment before it comes to market. Moreover, you play an active role in your health. Researchers also encourage healthy individuals to find and participate in clinical trials to contribute to the advancement of science and help others.[2]

What are the 4 types of clinical trials?

Clinical trials are comprehensive studies that go through 4 phases, although some clinical trials also require a preclinical phase, while others do not progress to phase IV. This may vary depending on the organization, the disease and the desired outcome. Some requirements and aspects of the different stages may overlap, but there are clear differences, which we'll discuss below and help you find a clinical trial relevant to your condition.[3]

• Phase I clinical trials - also known as dose escalation studies, are designed to study the effect of a new treatment/drug, the best route of administration and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in 20-100 volunteers (usually healthy individuals).
• Phase II clinical trials, known as dose-finding studies, are designed to test a new treatment/drug in a larger population (about 100-300 participants) and identify the most successful dose (MSD).
• Phase III clinical trials - also known as pivotal studies - involve monitoring side effects on around a hundred to a thousand participants. The study is conducted at several locations and can last up to 4 years. If the results are favorable, a New Drug Application (NDA) is submitted to the FDA.
• Phase IV clinical trials - also known as post-marketing surveillance studies - involve long-term monitoring of the drug's safety under real-world conditions. The drug is available to the general public and tested on various metrics.

Paid clinical trials

One of the questions that potential participants may ask is: "are clinical trials free?" This is a reasonable question because you need to know about the possible financial costs and whether your insurance can cover them. Generally, clinical trials are paid for and financed by the government or sponsors. The funds will cover the new treatment/drug being tested and additional medical costs.

Some paid clinical trials offer monetary compensation to their volunteers for participation or travel expenses, but many clinical trials do not provide explicit monetary compensation. However, monetary gain is not the real reason for enrolling in a clinical trial!”[4]

Paid clinical trials also include parking costs, child care, loss of income, meals and more. This encourages volunteers to participate and not worry about out-of-pocket costs. However, if you find a paid clinical trial, don't blindly sign up. First, ask about possible hidden costs, types of compensation and insurance.

Finding information about clinical trials

The best way to find clinical trials is online; multiple pages offer up-to-date and complete research information. Among them, the long-standing place to find information about clinical trials is ClinicalTrials.gov.

Although useful, the website itself is outdated and full of complex information, as it is primarily intended for researchers, not patients. Therefore, it is difficult to navigate and process information. But luckily, newer and improved solutions have been designed to help patients find new clinical trials.

Let's take a look at some of the fastest and easiest platforms that offer clinical trial recruitment information.

How can I find clinical trials?

This is another question potential participants ask themselves or their healthcare providers. Let's say you're looking for a clinical trial for a specific condition; you can consult your doctor as they can refer you to an ongoing study since most clinical trials are conducted in hospitals or research centers and are sponsored by CROs. However, networking is limited. You can also search for clinical studies if you are part of a patient advocacy group or by visiting a research hospital for certain conditions.

Moreover, you can come across clinical studies through social media ads or even bus stop ads. But all this does not guarantee the validity of the information. Therefore, if you have not been informed or referred to a medical research study, you can easily find it yourself on the Internet.

In the broadest sense, you can simply open your search engine and type in keywords for your specific condition, location, and preferences when you find a clinical trial. You can also type in a research center, if you know one, and potentially narrow down the links to relevant websites. A search might look something like the following hypothetical examples:

• "Paid clinical trials near me"
• "Clinical studies near me"
• "Free IVF Clinical Trials 2022."
• "Clinical trials Boston"
• "Paid clinical trials for smokers in 2022."
• "Clinical Trials in Las Vegas"

The main disadvantage of this method is that you have to sort through multiple paid/sponsored sites and websites, making it difficult to find an authentic and reliable clinical trial. We therefore recommend using any of the dedicated clinical trial search tools discussed below.

5 Best Places to Find Clinical Trials Online

The following platforms offer an easy way for patients to find a clinical trial they may be eligible for. Here are our top 5 suggestions, ranked by ease of use and patient affordability:

• www.withpower.com: Power is a patient-centric platform designed to help patients find clinical trials through a simple navigation and user interface. You can find a relevant clinical trial by answering a few questions about the eligibility criteria. You can also narrow your searches by adding conditions like city or disease. Once you've found a trial that suits you, you can contact the study sponsor/venue directly via Power's detailed information page for each trial.
• www.clinicaltrials.gov: this website is a resource from the US National Library of Medicine. It collects information on clinical trials in about 180 countries. However, the website interface is outdated, clunky and difficult to navigate. Moreover, it is not patient-friendly, and some of the studies mentioned have been completed or are not in the recruitment phase. So it's a good starting point, but not ideal for finding a relevant clinical trial. Tip: For a more intuitive search, go towww.trialstoday.org, which makes searching the clinical trials.gov database somewhat easier.
• www.antidote.me/clinical-trial-search: Hosted by Antidote, a digital patient engagement organization, this clinical trial database is helpful in refining and narrowing your searches and making it easy for patients to connect with clinical trials. All you need to do is fill in your basic personal and medical information and find the clinical trials that are closest or most relevant to you.
• www.ciscrp.org/services/search-clinical-trials/: CISCRP, Center for Information and Studies on Clinical Research Participation, is a non-profit organization. Their primary focus is on increasing awareness of participation in clinical trials. They offer a free "Search Clinical Trials" tool where patients have to fill out a form containing their basic medical information. CISCRP then identifies clinical trials relevant to your criteria and sends you a response within 48 hours. The patient then contacts the trial team and gathers more information. It works a little differently than other search platforms and can be time consuming as you have to do more research yourself.
• www.centerwatch.com/clinical-trials/listings/: CenterWatch provides information and services to clinical trial sponsors and researchers. They also provide a simple search tool where you can browse clinical trials based on medical conditions, therapeutic areas, treatment and location. For more information, you can contact the study sponsors and check eligibility.

Gathering more information: Clinical trial questions before applying

If you think you might be interested in a clinical trial, please gather more information before applying. For example, how long will the trial last? How far do you have to travel? Who will cover the cost of treatment? What are the benefits and potential side effects? This information is critical to the decision-making process and helps you prepare for the busy months ahead. If you cannot find all of this information online, we recommend that you contact the study sponsors and gather as much information as possible. Researchers understand the need to feel comfortable and in control when volunteering to participate and are more than willing to answer your questions.

Below is a list of questions that we suggest you check if you can answer before proceeding with study enrollment:

1. How long does the trial last?

Here you can ask about the duration and timetable of studies. This depends on the type of research and the phases of the clinical trial involved. Some studies can last up to 4-5 years; so make sure you are ready to make that commitment. Although patients can withdraw from clinical trials at any time, this results in a large loss of data and inadequate outcomes.

2. Study visits - what types of tests/treatments are involved and what is expected of me? How will this clinical trial affect my daily life?

Do I have to travel? How many times do I have to visit the research center? Gather information and insight into the design of the studio and how it will affect your routine. Make sure you are familiar with and comfortable with the treatment/drug being tested and set clear guidelines about what you can and cannot do. Don't force yourself to do anything you're uncomfortable with.

3. What potential risks are involved?

Get clear information about all the possible risks and how the adverse effects can affect your life in the long run.

4. Placebo, randomization and groups - What treatment will I receive?

Clinical trials are of different types. Some compare traditional treatment with new treatment, while others compare it with placebo. Some group participants based on specific criteria, while others test each patient individually. By gathering such information, you would know what you are getting into and what to expect.

Findings

We hope you now have a clear understanding of the different ways to find clinical trials and gather authentic and reliable information. These dedicated search tools offer detailed information about clinical trials. However, we suggest that you do your own research and gather as much information as possible before enrolling, so that you feel comfortable with the process and can focus on your studies.