Paid Clinical Trials in Pittsburgh, PA
As of June 2026, 1,333 paid clinical trials are recruiting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 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.
Pittsburgh offers studies at sites including University of Pittsburgh for conditions such as Breast Cancer, Melanoma, Stroke, Endometrial 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: .
Trials by specialty in Pittsburgh
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·Clear filters·↓ Download CSVAbout research studies in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has approximately 1,333 recruiting research studies across a wide range of therapeutic areas. Pennsylvania hosts UPenn's Perelman School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — pioneers in CAR-T cell therapy — alongside UPMC, Thomas Jefferson University, and Penn State Hershey.
Top Research Study Locations in Pittsburgh
Researchers run research studies in Pittsburgh, PA 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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh | Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Sleep | 165 |
| University of Pittsburgh Medical Center | Chronic Pancreatitis, Cystic Fibrosis, Advanced Solid Tumor | 148 |
| University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) | Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Metastatic Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Anatomic Stage IV Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 88 |
| UPMC Hillman Cancer Center | Melanoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Cancer | 85 |
| Allegheny General Hospital | Breast Cancer, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Cancer | 67 |
| Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC | B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia, Neuroblastoma | 60 |
| UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh | Biliary Atresia, Fabry Disease, Congenital Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes | 52 |
| UPMC-Passavant Hospital | Recurrent Endometrial Carcinoma, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Prostate Adenocarcinoma | 40 |
| Allegheny Health Network | Atrial Fibrillation, Bladder Cancer, Brain Tumor | 35 |
| UPMC-Saint Clair Hospital Cancer Center | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Breast Cancer, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma | 31 |
| UPMC-Saint Margaret | Prostate Adenocarcinoma, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 28 |
| UPMC-Shadyside Hospital | Stage IV Renal Cell Cancer AJCC v8, Breast Cancer, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma | 27 |
| West Penn Hospital | Breast Cancer, Large B-cell Lymphoma, Stage IV Colorectal Cancer AJCC v8 | 27 |
| UPMC-Magee Womens Hospital | Breast Cancer, Recurrent Endometrial Carcinoma, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 26 |
| UPMC | Focal Epilepsy, Ovarian Cancer, ASD - Atrial Septal Defect | 23 |
| VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System University Drive Division, Pittsburgh, PA | Cardiovascular Diseases, Stroke, Acute Kidney Injury | 20 |
| Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh | Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Hyperglycemia, Physical Inactivity | 19 |
| UPMC Presbyterian | Acute Kidney Injuries, Aneurysm of Aorta, Thoracic, Aneurysmal Disease | 19 |
| UPMC Presbyterian Hospital | Abdominal Surgery, Acute Ischemic Stroke, Acute Myocardial Infarction | 18 |
| UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital | ADHD, Behavioral Intervention, Breast Cancer | 9 |
| UPMC Shadyside Hospital | Opioid Use Disorder, Abdominal Surgery, Anxiety Preoperative | 9 |
| University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine | Adolescents, Anorexia Nervosa, Bipolar Disorder (BD) | 9 |
| AHN West Penn Hospital | Malignant Mesothelioma, Malignant Pleural Effusion, Metastasis to Pleura | 8 |
| University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) | ALS, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), ALS - Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | 8 |
| UPMC-Presbyterian Hospital | Metastatic Malignant Neoplasm in the Brain, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Adenocarcinoma of the Colon | 7 |
Active & Upcoming Studies in Pittsburgh (2026)
Recruiting trials in Pittsburgh grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.
Cancer & tumors (435 active studies)
- Collaborative Care Intervention for Cancer Patients and Their Family Caregivers -LITE · University of Pittsburgh
- Testing the Safety of Anti-Cancer Drug, CX-5461 (Pidnarulex), in Treating Lymphoma With Specific Changes in the MYC Gene · Phase 1, Phase 2 · National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Neurology & pain (91 active studies)
- Collaborative Care Intervention for Cancer Patients and Their Family Caregivers -LITE · University of Pittsburgh
- Psilocybin After Trauma Surgery for Pain · Phase 1 · Trent Emerick
Cardiovascular (77 active studies)
- TEPH: Telaglenastat Efficacy in Pulmonary Hypertension · Phase 1, Phase 2 · Chan, Stephen, MD, PhD
- The Effect of SPecialty cAre on Recovery From Cardiac Arrest Trial (the SPARC Trial) · University of Pittsburgh
Mental health & behavior (41 active studies)
Diabetes & metabolic (41 active studies)
- Technology Knowledge Optimization for Type 1 Diabetes in Schools · University of Pittsburgh
- Real-time Engagement for Learning to Effectively Control Type 2 Diabetes · University of Pittsburgh
Pediatric (19 active studies)
- A Multicenter Study to Assess the Feasibility of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients · Phase 2 · Costas Hadjipanayis
- A Study to Learn More About How Safe Finerenone is, When it is Taken for a Longer Time With Standard Treatment, in Children and Young Adults With Heart Failure and Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction · Phase 3 · Bayer
HIV / STI (10 active studies)
- mHealth Service Linkage for Young Adults Impacted by the Criminal Legal System · University of Pittsburgh
- Small Trial of Alendronate Impact on the Reservoir of HIV · Phase 2 · National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Vaccines (9 active studies)
- A Study to Learn About the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of a Fifth Dose of 6-Valent OspA-Based Lyme Disease Vaccine · Phase 3 · Pfizer
- A Study to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of TP-05 in Healthy Participants With Tick Exposure · Phase 2 · Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Eye & vision (4 active studies)
Common conditions studied in Pittsburgh
- Breast Cancer (25 active studies). Breast cancer trials evaluate new hormone therapies, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy combinations aimed at improving survival and reducing recurrence.
- Cancer (20 active studies). Recruiting Cancer studies evaluate investigational treatments, diagnostics, and supportive care approaches to improve patient outcomes.
- Melanoma (19 active studies). Melanoma trials test immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and BRAF/MEK targeted combinations in both early and metastatic disease.
- Stroke (18 active studies). Stroke trials test acute reperfusion strategies, neuroprotective agents, and rehabilitation technologies to improve recovery.
- Endometrial Cancer (14 active studies). Recruiting Endometrial Cancer studies evaluate investigational treatments, diagnostics, and supportive care approaches to improve patient outcomes.
- Cardiovascular Diseases (13 active studies). Recruiting Cardiovascular Diseases studies evaluate investigational treatments, diagnostics, and supportive care approaches to improve patient outcomes.
Leading research sponsors in Pittsburgh
- University of Pittsburgh
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- AstraZeneca
- Children's Oncology Group
- VA Office of Research and Development
Local regulations and guidelines
Clinical trials in Pennsylvania 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. Pennsylvania research additionally follows state public health department oversight and any applicable state privacy statutes.
Compensation & what to expect
- How payment typically works
- Compensation is most often provided through reloadable electronic study cards or direct deposit, paid out per completed visit rather than as a lump sum. Amounts vary by the time required, the number of visits, and the study's complexity — overnight stays and inpatient pharmacology studies generally pay more than short outpatient surveys. The exact amount is disclosed in writing during informed consent before any visit.
- Healthy volunteers
- Healthy participants aged 18 and older can earn compensation by joining vaccine, pharmacology, and biomarker studies in Pittsburgh. These trials check how a new drug or vaccine behaves in healthy bodies before later-phase testing. Many sites maintain a healthy-volunteer registry so you hear about new opportunities first.
- What's included beyond payment
- Most trials cover study-related medical care at no cost — physical exams, lab work, imaging, the investigational treatment itself, and follow-up visits with the research team. Insurance is not required to participate. Free check-ups and access to specialists are common reasons participants return for additional studies.
- Travel and time
- Many sponsors reimburse travel, parking, mileage, and lost wages for visit days. Long-running studies and trials that require frequent visits often raise stipends accordingly. Ask the study coordinator for the visit schedule and reimbursement policy before you commit.
- Asking about compensation
- Compensation is set per protocol and per site, so figures are not published in trial registries. The fastest way to confirm payment for a specific study is to contact the recruiting site listed on the study record. Coordinators are accustomed to this question and will quote the per-visit and total amounts up front.
How to find a clinical trial in Pittsburgh
Hipa.ai aggregates every recruiting study in Pittsburgh 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.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid clinical trials are currently recruiting in Pittsburgh?
There are approximately 1,333 recruiting clinical trials in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. The number changes weekly as new studies open and others close enrollment.
Do clinical trials in Pittsburgh pay participants?
Most recruiting trials in Pittsburgh 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.
Who can participate in a clinical trial in Pittsburgh?
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.
What conditions are most commonly studied in Pittsburgh?
The most common conditions under active study in Pittsburgh include Breast Cancer (25), Cancer (20), Melanoma (19), Stroke (18), among many others. Browse the list above to explore every recruiting trial.
Are there clinical trials for healthy volunteers in Pittsburgh?
Yes. Healthy-volunteer studies — often early-phase pharmacology or vaccine trials — recruit in Pittsburgh on an ongoing basis. Use the "Healthy volunteers only" filter above to view trials that accept participants without the study's target condition.
How do I enroll in a clinical trial in Pittsburgh?
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.
Where can I take part in paid clinical trials in Pittsburgh?
Recruiting research sites in Pittsburgh include University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), 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.
What kinds of studies are recruiting in Pittsburgh right now?
The largest active categories in Pittsburgh are Cancer & tumors (435), Neurology & pain (91), Cardiovascular (77). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.