The NICHD and other Institutes within the NIH conduct a variety of clinical trials related to women's health and other research topics. A clinical trial is a research study designed to answer specific questions about vaccines, new therapies, or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials (also called medical research and research studies) can help scientists find out whether new drugs or treatments are safe and effective. These trials are carefully carried out to make sure that the people in them are safe. Clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people.
The NIH maintains clinicaltrials.gov, a Web site that provides general information about clinical trials, supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about participating in trials, and about the overall clinical trials process. This site also contains a searchable list of all clinical trials currently being conducted by the NIH, including those supported by the NICHD, and those involving the other federal agencies. The site also allows you to explore all the clinical trials related to clinical trials related to women's health.
Taking part in a clinical trial is an important, personal decision. If you are thinking about getting involved in a clinical trial, clinicaltrials.gov can provide valuable information to help you decide whether being in a trial is right for you.
How does the NIH choose topics for its clinical trials? Medical research is vital to fighting disease and improving health. But, the wide range of possible topics for research, and the thousands of researchers who need funding, mean that the NIH must make choices about where and how it spends its money. This process is called setting research priorities, and it is very complex. No one thing--no single disease, no single researcher, no single Institute, no single method of funding research--comes first or is guaranteed funding.
The NIH describes the overall process it uses to choose topics for research in the booklet Setting Research Priorities. This booklet explains some of the limitations and concepts that guide the NIH in setting some of its research agenda. Although the booklet does not provide specific information about clinical trials, it does describe general reasons for some funding decisions.
