Clinical Trials FAQ
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate new treatments, drugs, devices, or care strategies in people. Below are direct answers to the questions patients most commonly ask Find a Trial before searching for a study.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a research study that tests a medical intervention — a drug, device, behavioral therapy, surgery, or diagnostic — in people to determine whether it is safe and effective. Trials follow a written protocol approved by an institutional review board (IRB) and are listed on the public registry ClinicalTrials.gov.
How do clinical trial phases work?
- Phase 1: First-in-human safety testing in a small group (typically 20–100 people). Establishes a safe dose range.
- Phase 2: Tests effectiveness and side effects in a larger group (100–300). Refines dosing.
- Phase 3: Pivotal efficacy study, usually 300–3,000 participants, comparing the new treatment to the current standard of care. Required for FDA approval.
- Phase 4: Post-marketing surveillance after FDA approval, tracking long-term safety and rare side effects.
How does Find a Trial work?
You describe your condition in plain language. Our AI extracts the relevant medical concepts, searches the full text of every ClinicalTrials.gov record using both keyword (BM25) and semantic (MedCPT) retrieval, then GPT scores each candidate trial for clinical relevance to your specific situation. We surface the trials and research studies you are most likely to qualify for, ranked by relevance and proximity.
Is Find a Trial free?
Yes. Find a Trial is free for patients. We do not charge to search, view trial details, or contact research teams. We do not sell patient data.
Are clinical trials safe?
Clinical trials are conducted under strict safety protocols and continuous monitoring by independent safety boards. Every trial has a defined consent process that walks you through the known risks, expected benefits, alternatives, and your right to withdraw at any time. That said, any investigational treatment carries risk; informed consent is what makes the trade-off your decision.
Will participating cost me money?
In most trials, the investigational treatment and trial-related care are provided at no cost. Some trials provide stipends or reimburse travel. Your routine care (unrelated to the trial) may still go through your regular insurance. Ask each site about its specific policy before enrolling.
How do I know if I qualify?
Every trial has eligibility criteria covering age, diagnosis specifics, prior treatments, lab values, and co-existing conditions. Find a Trial shows each study's published criteria, but the research site performs the formal screening when you express interest. Pre-screening is always free and never obligates you to enroll.
How is Find a Trial different from ClinicalTrials.gov?
ClinicalTrials.gov is the official US registry. It is comprehensive but designed for researchers — you need to know exact medical terminology to search effectively. Find a Trial is a patient-facing layer on top of that data: describe your situation conversationally, and we map your description to the right trials using AI-assisted matching plus location, study type, and recency filters.
Can my doctor enroll me?
Yes — in fact, we recommend discussing every trial with your treating physician before contacting the research site. Bring the trial's NCT number, summary, and eligibility criteria to the appointment. Your doctor can also refer you directly to the principal investigator.