Our Methodology

TrialFinder makes clinical trials searchable and understandable by translating clinical jargon into plain English. We pull directly from the official federal trial registry so patients and caregivers can find relevant trials and understand who qualifies.

Data Sources

Our sole data source is ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 (clinicaltrials.gov/api/v2/studies), the official federal registry of clinical trials maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Under federal law (FDAAA 801), most clinical trials of drugs and devices must be registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, making it the most comprehensive source of trial information in the world. We do not use any third-party or scraped data.

What We Show

For each trial, we present:

• Trial summary — What the trial is studying, translated from clinical terminology to plain English.
• Eligibility criteria — Who can participate, with clinical inclusion/exclusion criteria explained in accessible language.
• Trial phase — Phase 1 (safety/dosing), Phase 2 (efficacy), Phase 3 (large-scale confirmation), or Phase 4 (post-market).
• Status — Whether the trial is actively recruiting, not yet recruiting, completed, or terminated.
• Sponsor — The organization funding the trial (pharmaceutical company, academic institution, or government agency).
• Locations — Where the trial is being conducted, so patients can find nearby participating sites.

Plain-English Translation

ClinicalTrials.gov eligibility criteria are written for clinical professionals — full of medical terminology, lab value thresholds, and clinical abbreviations. We translate these into language that patients and caregivers can understand, while preserving accuracy. For example:

• "ECOG performance status 0-1" becomes "You must be able to carry out normal daily activities with minimal restrictions"
• "Adequate hepatic function" becomes "Your liver function tests must be within acceptable ranges"

We always link to the original ClinicalTrials.gov entry for the complete, unmodified clinical criteria.

Data Collection Process

We query the ClinicalTrials.gov API for trials with status "Recruiting" or "Not yet recruiting," organized by condition and sponsor. Trial data is cached and refreshed regularly to capture status changes, new trial registrations, and updated eligibility criteria.

Update Frequency

ClinicalTrials.gov is updated continuously as sponsors submit new registrations and status updates. We refresh our database regularly to capture changes in trial status and newly registered trials.

Known Limitations

• Not all clinical trials are registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. While FDAAA 801 requires registration of most drug and device trials, some early-stage academic studies and international trials may not appear.
• Trial status may not always be current. Sponsors are required to update status within 30 days of a change, but delays occur. A trial listed as "Recruiting" may have stopped enrollment.
• Our plain-English translations simplify complex medical criteria. Patients should always discuss the original eligibility criteria with their physician.
• We do not evaluate trial quality, likelihood of success, or whether a particular trial is appropriate for a specific patient. That is a medical decision.

How to Cite This Data

If you reference TrialFinder, please cite:

TrialFinder. "[Condition] Clinical Trials." trialfinderdata.org, 2026. Accessed [date].

Underlying data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, maintained by the National Library of Medicine. Trial data is in the public domain.