How many NCI-supported trials are now in progress?
There is no simple answer to this question. NCI supports clinical trials through a variety of funding programs, including grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements, and there is no single listing or database containing all NCI-sponsored trials. One of the most comprehensive databases of cancer clinical trials is NCI’s PDQ database, which is accessible through the NCI Web site, www.cancer.gov. PDQ includes most clinical trials sponsored by NCI. It also includes many cancer trials sponsored by pharmaceutical companies, medical centers, and other groups. PDQ lists both active clinical trials (those currently enrolling patients) and those closed to enrollment but still treating patients and/or collecting data. As of January 2006, PDQ contained approximately 2,932 active cancer clinical trials, of which 1,353 – almost half of the total – were sponsored by NCI. Which NCI trials does PDQ include? PDQ includes all intramural trials – those being conducted by NCI researchers at the NIH camp
