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Clinical Trials

Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.® This phrase captures our belief that research makes a difference in the best treatment and outcomes.

We offer many different types of clinical trials every year. 

What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial looks for new and better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, or treat a disease. At any time, there are hundreds of clinical trials being conducted at University of Iowa Health Care.

Clinical trials usually fit one of these categories:

  • Treatment trials determine if a treatment improves outcomes in a disease.
  • Prevention trials test new methods to lower the risk of disease.
  • Screening trials test the best way to detect a disease in its early stages.
  • Observational studies gather information about the disease without changing your care. They provide critical information to improve outcomes or design clinical trials for future therapies.
  • Correlative trials use blood and tissue samples to look at disease risk or how well a treatment is working.
  • Quality of life trials look at ways to improve comfort and quality of life of patients.

Learn more about participating in a clinical trial.

Why you might consider participating in a clinical trial

  • You may benefit from the very latest medicine and treatments.
  • You may receive in-depth examinations and tests at no cost.
  • You may have more frequent contact with your care team.
  • You will be contributing to a better understanding of the science behind medical treatments.

Research registry

The University of Iowa maintains a registry that connects individuals with teams conducting research. If you are interested in being contacted if a clinical trial becomes available that you may qualify for, you can register to be a Research Hero.  

Register here.

Learn about other ways to get involved in research. 

Additional clinical research resources