A Good Place to Find Information on Clinical Trials

If you’re thinking of participating in a clinical trial for cancer or any other medical condition, a good place to find out about the research is ClinicalTrials.gov. The site, sponsored by the NIH, NLM and FDA, is one outcome of the FDA Modernization Act (FDAMA) of 1997. The database aims to provide information on clinical trials to patients and physicians, and to generally increase transparency on study funding, design and availability of other trials evaluating the same condition or drug. A mouthful of jargon, as you’ll find regarding pretty much any trial. But better that it’s public – In recent years, some medical journals have required that clinical investigators seeking to publish study results register their trials, from the start, with the Clinical Trials database. Since 2007, when Congress passed the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of that year (US Public Law 110–85) researchers must register and report results for most clinical trials of drugs, biologics, and devices.