As of July 2026, 153 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 Breast Cancer, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8. 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: .
Des Moines has approximately 153 recruiting research studies across a wide range of therapeutic areas. Iowa hosts a diverse network of universities, academic medical centers, and community hospitals that run clinical trials across oncology, cardiology, neurology, and many other therapeutic areas.
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, Breast Cancer, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | 86 |
| 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 | 82 |
| 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 | 80 |
| Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines | Breast Cancer, Stage III Laryngeal Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Lip and Oral Cavity Cancer AJCC v8 | 76 |
| Broadlawns Medical Center | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8 | 48 |
| Blank Children's Hospital | B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Acute Myeloid Leukemia | 26 |
| Iowa Lutheran Hospital | Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the Brain, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Acral Lentiginous Melanoma | 21 |
| Medical Oncology and Hematology Associates-Des Moines | Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the Brain, Acral Lentiginous Melanoma, Cancer | 5 |
| Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel | Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Bone Cancer, NOS, Breast Cancer, NOS | 5 |
| Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines | Bone Cancer, NOS, Breast Cancer, NOS, CNS Primary Tumor, NOS | 3 |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center | Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Mitral Valve Regurgitation | 2 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood - IMMC | Estrogen Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Advanced Breast Cancer, KRAS G12C Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer | 2 |
| Mission Cancer + Blood - Mission Cancer Foundation | B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Refractory B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma | 2 |
| University of Iowa Health Care | Follicular Lymphoma (FL), Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | 2 |
| ACCOMPLISH-2 Research Site | Chronic Weight Management, Obesity, Overweight | 1 |
| Central Iowa Hospital Corp - UnityPoint Health | COPD | 1 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | Mental Health Disorder | 1 |
| Des Moines Oncology Research Association | Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) | 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 |
| 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 |
Recruiting trials in Des Moines grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.
Clinical trials in Iowa are governed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) standards, and federal HIPAA privacy rules. Every study is reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to protect participant safety and ensure informed consent. Iowa research additionally follows state public health department oversight and any applicable state privacy statutes.
Hipa.ai aggregates every recruiting study in Des Moines from ClinicalTrials.gov and refreshes the list daily. Use the filters above to narrow by condition, facility, age, phase, or healthy-volunteer eligibility, then click any study title to view full details — eligibility criteria, intervention, location, and sponsor contact information. To enroll, reach out to the central study contact listed on the study detail page; the research coordinator will walk you through the screening process.
There are approximately 153 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 Breast Cancer (6), Malignant Solid Neoplasm (6), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (4), Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 (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 - Laurel Clinic, UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines 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 (116), Mental health & behavior (2), Diabetes & metabolic (1). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.