National Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov
The U.S. National Institutes of Health maintains a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world.

National Clinical Trials

Known by many by its web address ClinicalTrials.gov, this online database allows visitors to learn more about clinical studies, as well as the history, policies and laws surrounding clinical studies.

Please note that although trials at Washington University School of Medicine are listed in the database, neither the school or university manage the website.

Need Help?

If you’re new to the ClinicalTrials.gov website, it can take some time to acquaint yourself with its structure and how to best search for information that may be of assistance to you and your loved one. Learn how to navigate the database using the instructions below.

Steps to Search for an ALS study: ClinicalTrials.gov
  1. Go to https://clinicaltrials.gov
  2. In the “Search for Studies” box, type in “amyotrophic” and click the search button.
    *Note: searching for “ALS” often brings up broad results (over 700 studies), but searching for “amyotrophic” will quickly direct you to relevant studies (about 300 studies). 
  3. Under “List” view, check the “Include only open studies” box.
  4. Click the blue “On a Map” tab and then click on your state to see recruiting ALS studies in your area.
  5. To learn more, click on the name of the study.
    * Read about the purpose of the study to figure out if you are interested in the study.
    * Look at the inclusion and exclusion criteria to find out if you are eligible for the study.
    * Use the contact information at the bottom of the page to reach out to the study’s research staff.
To search for interventional ALS studies only
  1. Go to https://clinicaltrials.gov
  2. Under the “Search for Studies” box, click on “Advanced Search”. 
  3. In the “Search Terms” box, type in “amyotrophic”.
  4. Select “Open Studies – Recruiting” from the drop down menu on the “Recruitment” selection line.
  5. On the “Study Type” drop down menu, select “Interventional Studies” and then click the search button.
  6. Click the blue “On a Map” tab and click on your state to see recruiting ALS interventional studies in your area.
  7. To learn more, click on the name of the study. * Read about the purpose of the study to figure out if you are interested in the study. * Look at the inclusion and exclusion criteria to find out if you are eligible for the study. * Use the contact information at the bottom of the page to reach out to the study’s research staff.

More Resources

Video Help for ClinicalTrials.gov

Video Help for Neals.org