ClinicalTrials.gov is an official registry and results database maintained by the National Library of Medicine. Its disclaimer explains who submits records and the limits of government review.
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Build an official research search
Enter your own term, then choose the official database you want to open.
Use a word, phrase, identifier, author, or other term you want to investigate. Maximum 200 characters.
1. Begin with the official search page
Open the ClinicalTrials.gov study search and enter the exact term or synonym you want to investigate. The site's official search instructions describe basic, focused, and advanced search options.
2. Narrow the record set deliberately
Useful fields include study type, recruitment status, location, sponsor, age group, phase, and whether results have been posted. Record which filters you used so the search can be repeated.
3. Read the study record before the summary
- Note the NCT number and official title.
- Identify the sponsor and responsible party.
- Check whether the study is observational or interventional.
- Read eligibility criteria, outcome measures, enrollment, dates, and locations.
- Check for posted results and linked publications.
- Record when the entry was last updated.
4. Interpret status cautiously
Recruitment and study-status terms have specific definitions in the ClinicalTrials.gov glossary. A registered, active, or completed study is not by itself evidence that its tested intervention was effective.
5. Cross-check publications
When a publication is linked, compare its population, outcomes, and analysis with the registered record. If results are absent, report that absence instead of guessing what happened.
Source record
Authoritative sources
- ClinicalTrials.gov How to Search for Studies
- ClinicalTrials.gov Disclaimer
- ClinicalTrials.gov Glossary Terms
- National Library of Medicine PubMed Disclaimer