Clinical Trials Overview
What is a Clinical Trial?
A clinical trial (also clinical research) is a research study in which people participate as volunteers.
A research study is a scientific investigation to achieve a complete understanding of a topic.
Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find:
- Treatments and medications that work in people
- Ways to improve health
There are strict rules for clinical trials, which are monitored by:
- National Institutes of Health
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Some of the research studies at the Clinical Center involve promising new treatments that may directly benefit patients.
You can Search the Studies to access a database of clinical studies being conducted by the National Institutes of Health at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md.
For questions about participating in any of these clinical studies, contact:
Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison Office
Toll free: 1-800-411-1222
TTY: 1-866-411-1010
Why Participate?
Healthy Volunteers
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