Managing & Treating Osteoporosis

Finding Information About Clinical Trials

Clinical trials help find new and better ways to prevent, detect, manage and treat different diseases and conditions. Clinical trials are also known by other names. Some of these are clinical studies, research studies, scientific studies and clinical protocols.

Before a medicine can be approved for use in the U.S., it must be studied in clinical trials.

The development of a single new medicine can cost millions of dollars and take more than a decade to move from the research lab to the pharmacy. A medicine must be proven safe and effective in people before it is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For the resources below, phone numbers are provided when available.

These Web sites will help you learn about Clinical Trials. They include information about new and ongoing clinical trials and your rights as a participant. You may also want to look in the health section of your local newspaper to locate clinical trials recruiting in your community. 

Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP)

The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) helps research participants understand their rights as volunteers in clinical studies. CISCRP also sponsors SearchClinicalTrials.org. Designed to be used by patients, family members, healthcare professionals and members of the public, SearchClinicalTrials.org lets you search multiple Web sites for information on clinical research, study results and medical news.
Location

Dedham, MA

Web site: www.ciscrp.org
Web site: www.SearchClinicalTrials.org
Phone: (888) 247-2773
 

ClinicalTrials.gov

Part of the National Institutes of Health, this database includes federally and privately supported clinical trials conducted in the U.S. and around the world. ClinicalTrials.gov provides information about a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations and phone numbers for more details.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.clinicaltrials.gov
Phone: (800) 411-1222
 

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

NCCAM, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine. This Web site has information on clinical trials being conducted by NCCAM.
Location:  
Web site: www.nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials
 

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center

Part of the National Institutes of Health , this database contains information on clinical trials being conducted at the NIH Clinical Center.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: http://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/
Phone: (800) 411-1222

These Web sites have information on the Results of Clinical Studies, including medicines.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

NIAMS will provide the results of research studies on many topics. When you contact NIAMS, ask for a MedLine search.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/default.asp

Phone:

 (800) 624-2663
   

PubMed

PubMed is a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. It includes more than 18 million citations for biomedical articles. PubMed has links to full text articles and other related resources.
Location: Bethesda, MD
Web site: www.pubmed.gov

This Web site will help you track new medications in development.  

New Medicines Database

This database is provided as a service of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). It includes medicines that are currently in clinical trials or at the FDA for review. The members of PhRMA are U.S. companies that conduct pharmaceutical and biotechnology research.
Location: Washington, DC
Web site: www.phrma.org/medicines_in_development/

Note: NOF assumes no responsibility for the content found on these Web sites. These links are offered as a convenience. Providing these links does not imply an endorsement or recommendation of these sites by NOF.