Paid Clinical Trials in Santa Barbara, CA

As of June 2026, 77 paid clinical trials are recruiting in Santa Barbara, California. 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.

Santa Barbara offers studies at sites including Ridley-Tree Cancer Center for conditions such as Fallopian Tube Cancer, Basic Science: Visual Attention in Healthy Participants, Prostate Cancer, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. 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 Santa Barbara

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About research studies in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara has approximately 77 recruiting research studies across a wide range of therapeutic areas. California hosts a dense network of world-class research institutions, including UC San Diego Health, Stanford Medicine, UCLA Health, UCSF, City of Hope, and Scripps Research. The state's thriving biotech corridor and diverse patient population make it a national hub for both early-phase and late-phase clinical research.

Top Research Study Locations in Santa Barbara

Researchers run research studies in Santa Barbara, CA 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.

SiteSpecializes inActive trials
Ridley-Tree Cancer CenterStage III Pancreatic Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer AJCC v8, Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma13
Sansum ClinicCarcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Prostate Cancer, Acinar Cell Carcinoma11
Santa Barbara Cottage HospitalAcute Myeloid Leukemia, Adrenal Gland Pheochromocytoma, Aortic Stenosis11
University of California, Santa BarbaraBasic Science: Visual Attention in Healthy Participants, Basic Science: Neural Representations of Location, Attention5
California Retina ConsultantsAMD, Gene Therapy, Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration4
Sansum Diabetes Research InstituteType 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes, Gestational, Gestational Diabetes4
California Retina Consultants CRCDiabetic Retinopathy, DR, Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration, Wet Macular Degeneration2
Jeffrey S. Sager, MD Medical Corporation ( Site 1060)Hypertension, Pulmonary, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension2
California Retina Consultants (CRC)Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (nAMD)1
California Retina Consultants- Santa BarbaraDiabetic Retinopathy, NPDR - Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy1
California Retina Consultants;Research DepartmentDiabetic Macular Edema1
Cancer Center of Santa BarbaraMalignant Neoplasm1
Central Valley Surg CtrLumbar Spinal Stenosis1
Clinical Trial SiteBreast Cancer, ER Positive Breast Cancer, HER2 Negative Breast Carcinoma1
Coastal Surgery CenterLumbar Spinal Stenosis1
CognixionALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)1
Cognixion HQALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), SCI - Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke1
Cottage Health Research InstituteAneurysm, Brain, Stroke, Thromboses, Intracranial1
Cottage Health System - Santa Barbara Pulmonary AssociatesChronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Pulmonary Hypertension1
Exelixis Clinical Site #59Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC), Colorectal Cancer (CRC), Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC)1
Ridley Tree Cancer Center /ID# 275219Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, Neoadjuvant1
SCRI - Sansum ClinicEndometrioid Ovarian Cancer, Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer1
Sansum Clinic (Ridley Tree) ( Site 8012)Lung Neoplasm Malignant1
Sansum Clinic Research /ID# 261596Follicular Lymphoma (FL)1
Sansum Clinic, Sutter HealthDiabetes, Nutrition1

Active & Upcoming Studies in Santa Barbara (2026)

Recruiting trials in Santa Barbara grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.

Common conditions studied in Santa Barbara

  • Fallopian Tube Cancer (4 active studies). Recruiting Fallopian Tube Cancer studies evaluate investigational treatments, diagnostics, and supportive care approaches to improve patient outcomes.
  • Basic Science: Visual Attention in Healthy Participants (3 active studies). Healthy-volunteer studies examine how new drugs behave in the body, helping researchers understand safety and dosing before later-phase trials.
  • Prostate Cancer (3 active studies). Prostate cancer studies test next-generation hormone therapies, PARP inhibitors, and radioligand treatments for both localized and advanced disease.
  • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (3 active studies). Hypertension research tests new antihypertensive drug classes, renal denervation devices, and fixed-dose combinations for resistant disease.
  • Pulmonary Hypertension (3 active studies). Hypertension research tests new antihypertensive drug classes, renal denervation devices, and fixed-dose combinations for resistant disease.
  • Stroke (3 active studies). Stroke trials test acute reperfusion strategies, neuroprotective agents, and rehabilitation technologies to improve recovery.

Leading research sponsors in Santa Barbara

  • NRG Oncology
  • University of California, Santa Barbara
  • AbbVie
  • Children's Oncology Group
  • Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Local regulations and guidelines

Clinical trials in California 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. In addition, California-specific protections such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA) impose stringent data-privacy requirements on research involving California residents.

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 Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Barbara

Hipa.ai aggregates every recruiting study in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara?

There are approximately 77 recruiting clinical trials in Santa Barbara, California listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. The number changes weekly as new studies open and others close enrollment.

Do clinical trials in Santa Barbara pay participants?

Most recruiting trials in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara?

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 Santa Barbara?

The most common conditions under active study in Santa Barbara include Fallopian Tube Cancer (4), Basic Science: Visual Attention in Healthy Participants (3), Prostate Cancer (3), Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (3), among many others. Browse the list above to explore every recruiting trial.

Are there clinical trials for healthy volunteers in Santa Barbara?

Yes. Healthy-volunteer studies — often early-phase pharmacology or vaccine trials — recruit in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara?

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 Santa Barbara?

Recruiting research sites in Santa Barbara include Ridley-Tree Cancer Center, Sansum Clinic, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, 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 Santa Barbara right now?

The largest active categories in Santa Barbara are Cancer & tumors (38), Cardiovascular (10), Eye & vision (6). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.

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Related healthcare resources in California

Trials by condition in Santa Barbara