NIH launches consumer clinical-trials site

The National Institutes of Health has launched a website aimed at educating the public about clinical trials and boosting the number of volunteers for such research.

The site, called NIH Clinical Research Trials and You, includes information about what it's like to participate in a clinical research, videotaped stories from volunteers and links that point users to available trials.

"The ability to recruit the necessary number of volunteers is vital to carrying out clinical research that leads to health and medical advances," NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins said in a news release. "This new, centralized resource will make it much easier for the public and health professionals to learn about clinical trials and how people can participate in them."

The website also contains educational resources that physicians can use for referrals as well as evidence-based strategies for talking to patients about clinical trials, the NIH said.