21 October 2026 · 3 min read · By Clinical Trials
How to Search ClinicalTrials.gov and Read a Clinical Trial Record
Find clinical trials by condition and location on ClinicalTrials.gov, then check recruitment status, eligibility, contacts and results before approaching a study team.
ClinicalTrials.gov is a public database of clinical research studies and results information, maintained by the US National Library of Medicine. Its records include studies in many countries, not only the United States. It is a useful starting point for learning about research, but a listing is not a recommendation to participate.
Searches such as “clinical trial gov” and “clinical trials gov” usually refer to ClinicalTrials.gov. The official website is clinicaltrials.gov. Clinical Study Passport is an independent portal, not the government registry, and does not approve studies on its behalf.
Start with a condition, intervention and location
Enter the condition you are interested in and, if relevant, the intervention name. Add a country or city to narrow the results. Use recruitment-status filters to focus on studies that may be enrolling, while checking the status of the particular site you could attend.
For example, a person looking for diabetes research in India could start with “diabetes” and “India”, then review recruiting records and individual locations. This is a search example, not a claim that a specific trial is currently available or suitable.
Check the NCT number, status and update date
Each ClinicalTrials.gov study record has an identifier beginning with NCT. Save it so you can identify the same study when speaking with a hospital or research team. Check the record’s update information because recruitment details and contacts can change.
“Recruiting” indicates that the study is seeking participants, but does not confirm an available place at every location. “Active, not recruiting” usually means the study is continuing without enrolling new participants. A completed study is not an open recruitment opportunity.
Read eligibility and the study plan
Review inclusion and exclusion criteria, age requirements and whether healthy volunteers are accepted. Read the study type, intervention, phase where applicable, allocation and outcome measures. Not every study has a drug-development phase, and not every trial uses a placebo.
Eligibility text can help you prepare questions, but only the study team can determine whether you qualify after screening. Do not stop prescribed medicines or change treatment to meet a listing’s criteria without your clinician’s guidance.
Contact the site and understand the limits of a listing
Use the contacts and locations section to ask about current enrolment, visits, costs, compensation arrangements and consent. Bring the NCT number. The study team is responsible for the information it submits; the US government does not review and approve the safety and science of every listed study.
Some records include posted summary results, but a record without results is not evidence that the treatment works or does not work. For studies in India, also consult the Clinical Trials Registry–India and confirm applicable approvals with the team. Registry information does not replace medical advice or informed consent.