Start Here: How to Search for Clinical Trials on TrialFinder

You have a diagnosis, and someone mentioned clinical trials. Or maybe you found your way here on your own. Either way, you're in the right place.

TrialFinder is a free, non-profit tool that helps patients and families search for clinical trials worldwide. The data comes from publicly available registries, and the interface is designed to be usable without any medical background. This guide walks you through how to get the most out of it.

Start with the condition name

The search bar is the starting point. Type the name of the condition you're looking for, and TrialFinder will return matching trials.

Keep it simple. Don't type full sentences like "stage 4 lung cancer with brain metastases." Instead, type the primary condition: lung cancer, melanoma, ALS, Crohn's disease. The system will pull all relevant trials, and you can narrow things down from there.

If the molecular report names a less common EGFR change, there is a separate guide to osimertinib and uncommon EGFR mutations.

If you're not sure where to start, you can also tap one of the common condition shortcuts below the search bar, such as Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, or Leukemia, to jump straight into results without typing.

You can search in English or Hebrew. TrialFinder translates medical terms between the two languages automatically, so you'll get accurate results either way. If you're not sure about the English name of a condition, type it in Hebrew and the system will handle the mapping.

TrialFinder also keeps track of your recent searches so you can pick up where you left off. By default, these are only stored for your current session. If you want them to persist between visits, toggle on "Remember searches on this device", but keep in mind that anyone with access to the device will be able to see them.

Or upload your medical summary

If you have a visit summary, discharge letter, or oncology note as a PDF or photo, you can use Upload medical summary below the search bar instead of typing everything yourself. You can also paste clinical text directly.

Processing happens on your device first: text is extracted (including OCR for scanned PDFs), then common personal identifiers are removed. Only scrubbed text is sent for AI-assisted extraction. You review and edit what was understood—stage, biomarkers, prior treatments, and more—before it updates your search and eligibility hints.

Automated redaction is not perfect. Use the scrubbed preview and edit any field before confirming. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Use the filters to narrow your results

After searching, you'll see a list of trials and a set of filters to refine it. Here's what each one does:

Geographic scope. Three options: All (trials anywhere in the world), Israel only, or Outside Israel. Start with "All" to see the full picture. If you're specifically looking for something you can do locally, switch to "Israel only."

Trial phase. You can filter by Phase 1, 2, 3, or 4. If you're not sure what these mean, here's the short version: Phase 1 tests safety and dosing. Phase 2 tests whether the drug works. Phase 3 compares the new treatment against the current standard. Phase 4 monitors long-term effects after approval. For a deeper explanation, see Key Clinical Trial Terms.

Actively recruiting toggle. When this is on, you'll only see trials that are currently accepting patients. When it's off, you'll also see trials that may not be recruiting right now but are still worth knowing about.

How to navigate your results

If you got too many results: Turn on the "actively recruiting" toggle and pick a geographic scope that works for you. This will cut the list down to what's actionable right now.

If you got too few results, or none at all: Loosen the filters. Switch geographic scope back to "All." Turn off the recruiting toggle. A trial that isn't recruiting today might open up next month. A trial in another country might still be relevant, and your doctor can sometimes arrange participation across borders, or the same drug might be available through a Compassionate Use program.

Understand the trial in plain language

When you open a trial page, you'll see the raw protocol data: titles, conditions, interventions, all in medical English. This can be overwhelming. That's where the AI summary comes in.

Tap the "Generate summary" button on any trial page, and TrialFinder will create a plain-language breakdown of what the trial is about, what it's testing, and what participation involves. The summary is generated by AI and is not a substitute for medical advice, but it can help you quickly understand whether a trial is worth discussing with your doctor.

At the bottom of each trial page, Similar trials shows other recruiting studies that may be relevant based on condition, treatment, phase, or location. Use it to compare options without going back to search.

Check the eligibility criteria

Every trial has strict entry requirements. When you open a trial page, look at the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These will tell you things like: which disease stages are eligible, which prior treatments are required or disqualifying, what lab values or performance scores are needed.

On the same trial page, TrialFinder also offers a Quick eligibility check. Answer a few questions about your situation and you will get an early sense of whether the trial might be a fit. It is a helper, not a medical decision, and it does not replace the research team's official screening.

Don't self-disqualify too fast. If a trial looks promising but you're not sure if you meet the criteria, bring it to your doctor. They can read the protocol and tell you whether it's worth pursuing.

If you applied and got a "no," read Not a Perfect Match? Tips for Getting Into a Clinical Trial Anyway. There are more options than you might think.

What to do next

The best next step after finding a trial that interests you is a conversation with your treating physician. Bring the trial's NCT number (the unique ID you'll see on each trial page) and the eligibility summary. A prepared patient makes for a faster, more productive conversation.

If you want to reach out yourself, some trial pages list a study team email. Look for "Contact study team (email)" on the trial page. You can also generate a summary first, then use "Draft email to study team" in the action center to open a pre-filled message. You can also copy a shareable summary from there to send your doctor via WhatsApp or email. Not every trial publishes a contact address, and sending an email does not guarantee a response or enrollment, but when contact details are available it is a direct way to ask whether the trial is still recruiting.

If you're new to the world of clinical trials entirely, start with What is a Clinical Trial? for context on how the process works and what to expect. When you have a specific trial in mind, read Before You Join a Clinical Trial for screening, informed consent, questions to ask, and red flags.

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