Mission and Purpose of Site:
ClinicalTrials.gov, an information service of the National Institutes of Health developed by its National Library of Medicine, provides patients, family members, health-care professionals, and the general public with information on clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions.

Background:
The National Library of Medicine began developing the ClinicalTrials.gov Web site as a result of the Food and Drug Administration's Modernization Act, which was passed in November 1997. The library collaborated with other NIH institutes, several federal agencies, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and other nonprofit organizations to create a central database of clinical studies from around the world.

Launched in February 2000, the site has grown to catalog 5,800 clinical studies in more than 64,000 locations worldwide. ClincalTrials.gov, which is updated regularly, receives more than two million page views per month and hosts approximately 7,200 visitors daily.

Home Page:
The ClinicalTrials.gov home page has a toolbar across the top with links to the Search, Browse, Resources, Help, What's New, and About sections of the site. Below the toolbar, a short paragraph introduces the developers of the site — the National Institutes of Health and its National Library of Medicine — and provides a link to more information about clinical trials and how they work. The site's basic keyword search is also available on the home page.

Outstanding Feature:
The site offers three ways to search for clinical trial records: a basic search, a focused search, and a browsing tool. The basic search is simply a keyword search tool that allows users to search for information broadly. The focused search provides a form to narrow down a search to studies that meet specific criteria such as disease, location, treatment, age group, study phase, and sponsor. Finally, the browsing option allows users to find studies sorted by condition or sponsor.

The search tools available on ClinicalTrials.gov are made even more efficient with the site's automatic spell check that helps users who are unsure how to spell a medical term. The site also provides links to clinical trials that may be related to the user's initial inquiry.

Honorable Mention:
The Web site not only provides information about clinical trials, it also links studies to potential participants. NIH Institutes and Centers, other federal agencies, and private sector companies submit information about trials by registering with ClinicalTrial.gov's Protocol Registration System, a Web-based tool developed for submitting clinical trial information. Sponsors may find the PRS application form and additional information about PRS, including a guided tour, at the PRS Information site. The majority of trials on the site are open for recruitment, and ClinicalTrials.gov provides contact information for the studies when available.