As of September 2026, 135 paid clinical trials are recruiting in Des Moines, Iowa. Compensation typically covers time, travel, and study visits, with stipends ranging from modest amounts for short outpatient studies to several thousand dollars for long or inpatient protocols.
Des Moines offers studies at sites including Iowa Methodist Medical Center for conditions such as Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Breast Cancer. Both patients with specific conditions and healthy volunteers can qualify. Most trials offer free study-related medical care alongside compensation.
Recruiting trial data synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov. Last sync: .
Posted to ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 60 days — these studies are just starting to recruit.
Researchers run research studies in Des Moines, IA at 25 active sites. The clinics below currently host the largest number of recruiting studies — each name is followed by the conditions they focus on most.
| Site | Specializes in | Active trials |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa Methodist Medical Center | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 | 76 |
| UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines Clinic | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8 | 73 |
| UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel Clinic | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8 | 73 |
| Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v8 | 64 |
| Broadlawns Medical Center | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8 | 37 |
| Blank Children's Hospital | Acute Myeloid Leukemia, B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Malignant Solid Neoplasm | 26 |
| Iowa Lutheran Hospital | Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, Clinical Stage IV Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8, Malignant Digestive System Neoplasm | 6 |
| Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel | Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Cardiotoxicity, Elevated CA15-3 or CEA or CA27-29 | 3 |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center | Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Mitral Valve Regurgitation | 2 |
| ACCOMPLISH-2 Research Site | Chronic Weight Management, Obesity, Overweight | 1 |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corp - UnityPoint Health | COPD | 1 |
| Decentralized / At-Home Participation (U.S.) | Healthy Adult Participants | 1 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | Mental Health Disorder | 1 |
| Exinia Research | Acute Gout Flare, Acute Gouty Arthritis, Gout Flare | 1 |
| Harbor View Medical | Orthopedic Disorder | 1 |
| Home-based telemedicine | Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) | 1 |
| John Stoddard Cancer Center | Ovarian Cancer | 1 |
| Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates-Des Moines | Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, Clinical Stage IV Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8, Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma | 1 |
| MercyOne Iowa Heart Center | Aortic Stenosis | 1 |
| Mission Cancer & Blood - John Stoddard Cancer Center | Triple Negative Breast Cancer | 1 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood | MF, Myelofibrosis, Post-ET Myelofibrosis | 1 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood (Exigent Network) | Gastric Cancer, Gastroesophageal-junction Cancer, HER2-positive Gastric Cancer | 1 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood - IMMC | KRAS G12C Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer | 1 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood - Mission Cancer Foundation | Non-small Cell Lung Cancer | 1 |
| Mission Cancer and Blood | Breast Cancer | 1 |
Recruiting trials in Des Moines grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.
There are approximately 135 recruiting clinical trials in Des Moines, Iowa listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. The number changes weekly as new studies open and others close enrollment.
Most recruiting trials in Des Moines compensate participants for their time, travel, and study visits. Compensation varies by sponsor, study phase, and visit requirements — the exact amount is disclosed by the study team during the informed consent process.
Eligibility depends on the specific study. Each trial defines its own inclusion criteria (age, diagnosis, medical history, prior treatments) and exclusion criteria. Both patients with specific conditions and healthy volunteers can qualify, depending on the study design.
The most common conditions under active study in Des Moines include Malignant Solid Neoplasm (6), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (5), Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 (5), Breast Cancer (4), among many others. Browse the list above to explore every recruiting trial.
Yes. Healthy-volunteer studies — often early-phase pharmacology or vaccine trials — recruit in Des Moines on an ongoing basis. Use the "Healthy volunteers only" filter above to view trials that accept participants without the study's target condition.
Click any study title above to see the full study record, including eligibility criteria, visit schedule, and the study team's contact information. Reach out to the central contact or recruiting site directly — they will guide you through screening and informed consent.
Recruiting research sites in Des Moines include Iowa Methodist Medical Center, UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines Clinic, UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel Clinic, among others. Each site lists its open studies and contact information on the study record above — call or email the site coordinator to ask about screening for a specific protocol.
The largest active categories in Des Moines are Cancer & tumors (97), Mental health & behavior (2), Diabetes & metabolic (1). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.