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RSS Feeds

RSS allows you to receive information and updates from a Web site. This page explains how to set up RSS feeds that will notify you of new study information on ClinicalTrials.gov. Subscribing to an RSS feed saves you time because you will not have to check each study record in your search results for updates.

RSS feeds can provide updates to the results of a specific search, on all recently added study records, or on all recently modified studies. The RSS feed will automatically list additions and updates to your search results in either your Internet browser or a feed reader (see How to Subscribe to a Feed).

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RSS Feed for a Specific Search

Creating an RSS feed for a specific search allows you to easily access and browse study records meeting your search criteria that have been added or modified in the last 14 days. To create the feed, enter your search terms and click on Search. (For help with basic or advanced searches, see How to Search.) Then follow the instructions provided in the example below.

To practice creating an RSS feed for a basic search for studies on diabetes, follow these steps:

  1. Click on Subscribe to RSS in the upper-right corner of the List tab on the Search Results page:

    Subscribe to RSS option on the search results page

  2. A pop-up box containing RSS feed options will appear:

    Options on the RSS feed form

  3. Choose one of the following feed types:
    • Show studies that were first received in the last 14 days
    • Show studies that were added or modified in the last 14 days
  4. Click on the Create RSS Feed button to open the feed and display a list of any new updates to your search results. You can subscribe to the RSS feed using your browser or a feed reader (see How to Subscribe to a Feed).
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How to Subscribe to a Feed

To read the RSS feed updates, you need a reader, also called an aggregator. Readers can be Web based (for example, Google Reader), part of your browser (for example, Microsoft (MS) Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox), part of your e-mail client (for example, MS Outlook), or installed on your computer. Web-based and e-mail client readers let you read RSS feeds from any computer. Feed subscriptions in your browser or reader software installed on your computer will be available only on the computer used to subscribe to the feeds.

Subscribe to a Feed Using Your Internet Browser

The steps below describe how to subscribe to an RSS feed using MS Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox. The process may be slightly different for other browsers. Refer to your browser's help files for more information.

In your browser, create or open the RSS feed that you want to subscribe to. (See the instructions for creating an RSS Feed for a Specific Search.) To create an RSS feed for all studies on ClinicalTrials.gov, do not enter any words in the basic search box, simply click on Search.

To practice subscribing to a feed for a basic search for studies on diabetes using your browser, follow these steps:

  1. Create an RSS feed for a basic search for studies on diabetes, following the steps in the RSS Feed for a Specific Search section.
  2. Click on Subscribe to This Feed or Subscribe Now at the top of the page.
  3. You can modify the name of the feed by changing the text in the Name field of the pop-up box. (This step is optional.)
  4. Choose where to save the feed (for example, save it to Feeds in MS Internet Explorer or to a location in your Bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox).
  5. Click on the Subscribe button.
  6. To view the feed, select it from Feeds (under Favorites) in MS Internet Explorer or from your Bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox.

After you have subscribed, you can view the RSS feed at any time using the same browser. The title of each feed item is the title of the study record that has been added or updated. Click on the title to open the study record page on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Your feed may be empty sometimes. This happens when there are no recent additions or updates to your original search results.

To delete the feed, right-click on it in your Feeds or Bookmarks list and select Delete.

Subscribe to a Feed Using a Feed Reader

In your browser, create or open the RSS feed that you want to subscribe to. (See the instructions for creating an RSS Feed for a Specific Search.) Copy the URL of the RSS feed page open in your browser and paste it into your feed reader application or software.

The process for subscribing to a feed varies, depending on the feed reader software. The feed reader's instructions should explain how to modify the RSS feed name or delete the feed.

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Alternative to RSS Feeds

Instead of subscribing to an RSS feed, you can use your browser to bookmark a Search Results page or label it as a "favorite." For example, a bookmarked Search Results page for studies on anticonvulsants recruiting in Chicago would appear as "Search of: Anticonvulsants | Open Studies | Chicago - List Results - ClinicalTrials.gov" in your list of bookmarks or favorites. Each time you visit the page, you will see all the current results for your search, including records that have been recently added or updated and records that have not changed.

This page last reviewed in February 2016