Clinical Trial Research Guides & Intelligence 2026
Independent research guides, expert analysis, and 10,000+ live recruiting trials — sourced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov. Free access for patients, caregivers, and researchers.
ClinicalMetric is an independent editorial resource that helps patients, caregivers, and researchers make sense of clinical trials. Every year thousands of studies open across the United States, but the official registries are written for medical professionals — dense eligibility criteria, technical endpoints, and acronyms that are hard to parse when you or a family member are facing a diagnosis. Our role is to translate that information into plain-language guidance you can actually use: what a trial is, how phases differ, what questions to ask before enrolling, and how to weigh the risks and benefits of participation.
We publish in-depth research guides on specific conditions — from cancer and diabetes to rare and autoimmune diseases — alongside practical patient guides covering informed consent, compensation, placebos, and your rights as a participant. All trial data is sourced directly from ClinicalTrials.gov and refreshed daily, while our editorial content is written and reviewed by the ClinicalMetric team. We are not affiliated with any sponsor or recruiter, and nothing here is medical advice; our goal is simply to make clinical research easier to understand so you can have a more informed conversation with your own doctor.
Medical Disclaimer: ClinicalMetric is an informational platform only. Nothing on this site constitutes medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendation. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decision or enrolling in a clinical trial. Full disclaimer →
● Live Recruiting Clinical Trials
Browse by Condition →Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov — updated daily.
● UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL TRIALS
A clinical trial is a research study conducted in people to evaluate a medical intervention — a drug, device, procedure, or behavioral change. All trials are registered on ClinicalTrials.gov before enrollment begins, as required by U.S. law (FDAAA 801). Trials are classified by phase: Phase 1 tests safety in small groups, Phase 2 tests efficacy, Phase 3 compares to existing treatments in large populations, and Phase 4 monitors long-term effects after approval.
Read full guide →Every trial defines inclusion and exclusion criteria — the specific requirements a participant must meet. Common factors include age range, diagnosis, disease stage, prior treatments, and current medications. Eligibility criteria exist to protect patient safety and ensure valid scientific results. You can review the full criteria for any trial on its ClinicalTrials.gov registry page before contacting the study team.
Read eligibility guide →Compensation varies widely by trial type, duration, and sponsor. Phase 1 trials (healthy volunteers) often pay $1,000–$5,000 for inpatient stays. Later-phase trials for patients with specific conditions typically reimburse travel and time costs rather than paying a flat fee. FDA guidance requires that payment not be so high as to be coercive. Always review the informed consent document for specific payment terms before enrolling.
Read compensation guide →● POPULAR RESEARCH GUIDES
ALL 117 GUIDES →● RESEARCH FUNDING & GRANT DEADLINES 2026
Deadlines, due dates, and application strategy for the major clinical research funding mechanisms — updated for the 2026 cycle.
In-Depth Research Guides by Condition
Expert guides on trials, treatments, and eligibility for the most-researched conditions
Get Weekly Clinical Trial Alerts
New recruiting trials from ClinicalTrials.gov — delivered every Monday. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Join researchers and healthcare professionals. Free forever.
What Are Clinical Trials?
Clinical trials are carefully designed research studies that evaluate new medical treatments, drugs, devices, or behavioral interventions in human volunteers who meet defined eligibility criteria. These studies follow a strict scientific protocol approved by an independent ethics board before any recruiting of participants begins.
Live recruiting studies listed on ClinicalTrials.gov represent the most current opportunities for patients and healthy volunteers to participate in cutting-edge medical research across hundreds of conditions worldwide. ClinicalMetric organizes these studies so researchers, patients, and healthcare professionals can find relevant trials quickly.
How to Find the Right Trial
Finding the right clinical trial begins with identifying your condition, location preferences, and the phase of research you are comfortable joining. Earlier phases carry more uncertainty while later phases involve well-characterized interventions already studied in many participants.
Each trial listing includes eligibility criteria specifying the required age range, diagnosis, prior treatment history, and any exclusion factors. Reviewing these details carefully before contacting the study team saves time for everyone involved in the screening process.
Understanding Trial Phases
Clinical trials progress through four standardized phases. Phase 1 studies enroll 20–80 participants primarily to evaluate safety and dosing. Phase 2 expands to 100–300 participants and tests therapeutic effect. Phase 3 compares the new intervention against standard-of-care treatments across thousands of participants. Phase 4 studies occur after regulatory approval and monitor long-term safety in the general population.
● FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is ClinicalMetric? +
ClinicalMetric is an independent clinical trial intelligence platform tracking 400,000+ active clinical trials worldwide, sourced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH/NLM). It provides condition-based filtering, phase breakdowns, eligibility summaries, and sponsor data to help patients, caregivers, and researchers find relevant studies.
Is ClinicalMetric affiliated with NIH, the FDA, or any pharmaceutical company? +
No. ClinicalMetric is an independent, privately operated platform. We are not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. We do not recruit for trials or receive referral fees from trial sponsors.
How do I join a clinical trial? +
To join a trial, review the eligibility criteria on the trial's detail page — including age range, diagnosis requirements, and exclusion factors. Then contact the study coordinator using the information listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Your physician can also review your case and provide a referral to a specific study.
Is information on ClinicalMetric medical advice? +
No. All information on ClinicalMetric is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before considering trial participation.
How often is clinical trial data updated? +
Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and refreshed daily. ClinicalMetric uses a multi-tier caching system to serve current data while maintaining fast, globally distributed performance.