Paid Clinical Trials in Santa Cruz, CA
As of August 2026, 21 paid clinical trials are recruiting in Santa Cruz, 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 Cruz offers studies at sites including Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Santa Cruz for conditions such as Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Recurrent Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. 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 Cruz
Trials by drug in Santa Cruz
Filter results
20 clinical trials
Testing the Addition of a Type of Drug Called Immunotherapy to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, an ALCHEMIST Treatment Trial (Chemo-IO [ACCIO])
Evaluating the Addition of Adjuvant Chemotherapy to Ovarian Function Suppression Plus Endocrine Therapy in Premenopausal Patients With pN0-1, ER-Positive/HER2-Negative Breast Cancer and an Oncotype Recurrence Score Less Than or Equal to 25
Colon Adjuvant Chemotherapy Based on Evaluation of Residual Disease
mFOLFIRINOX Versus mFOLFOX With or Without Nivolumab for the Treatment of Advanced, Unresectable, or Metastatic HER2 Negative Esophageal, Gastroesophageal Junction, and Gastric Adenocarcinoma
Testing Olaparib for One or Two Years, With or Without Bevacizumab, to Treat Ovarian Cancer
Adding an Immunotherapy Drug, MEDI4736 (Durvalumab), to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment (Paclitaxel, Cyclophosphamide, and Doxorubicin) for Stage II-III Breast Cancer
APOLLO: A Randomized Phase II Double-Blind Study of Olaparib Versus Placebo Following Curative Intent Therapy in Patients With Resected Pancreatic Cancer and a Pathogenic BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2 Mutation
Testing the Addition of the Anti-Cancer Drug Tivozanib to Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) After Surgery to Remove All Known Sites of Kidney Cancer
Lung-MAP: A Master Screening Protocol for Previously-Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Comparing Combinations of Targeted Drugs for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Has EGFR and MET Gene Changes (A Lung-MAP Treatment Trial)
TAPUR: Testing the Use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Approved Drugs That Target a Specific Abnormality in a Tumor Gene in People With Advanced Stage Cancer
Studying Chemotherapy With or Without Panitumumab for Unresectable, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Without KRAS Mutations
De-Escalation of Breast Radiation Trial for Hormone Sensitive, HER-2 Negative, Oncotype Recurrence Score Less Than or Equal to 18 Breast Cancer (DEBRA)
Targeted Treatment for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Has a MET Exon 14 Skipping Gene Change (An Expanded Lung-MAP Treatment Trial)
Shorter Chemo-Immunotherapy Without Anthracycline Drugs for Early-Stage Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Comparing the Outcome of Immunotherapy-Based Drug Combination Therapy With or Without Surgery to Remove the Kidney in Metastatic Kidney Cancer, the PROBE Trial
Babies' Brain Responses to Strangers
Toddlers' Responses to Strangers
Testing the Addition of Herceptin Hylecta or Phesgo to the Usual Chemotherapy for HER2 Positive Endometrial Serous Carcinoma or Carcinosarcoma
Top Research Study Locations in Santa Cruz
Researchers run research studies in Santa Cruz, CA at 8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Santa Cruz | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Recurrent Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 | 16 |
| Santa Cruz Radiation Oncology Medical Group | Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinoma, Advanced Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma | 7 |
| Social Science 2 Building | Infant Development, Social Behavior | 2 |
| Dientes Community Dental Care | Behavioral Changes, Dental Disease | 1 |
| Dominican Santa Cruz Hospital | Stage I Breast Cancer | 1 |
| Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Fremont | Advanced Solid Tumors, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin, Multiple Myeloma | 1 |
| Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Santa Cruz | Advanced Solid Tumors, Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin, Multiple Myeloma | 1 |
| Sutter Valley Hospitals PAMF Santa Cruz | Cancer | 1 |
Active & Upcoming Studies in Santa Cruz (2026)
Recruiting trials in Santa Cruz grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.
Cancer & tumors (18 active studies)
- Studying Chemotherapy With or Without Panitumumab for Unresectable, Locally Advanced, or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Without KRAS Mutations · Phase 3 · SWOG Cancer Research Network
- Testing the Addition of the Anti-Cancer Drug Tivozanib to Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) After Surgery to Remove All Known Sites of Kidney Cancer · Phase 3 · Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Pediatric (1 active study)
- Babies' Brain Responses to Strangers · University of California Santa Cruz
Common conditions studied in Santa Cruz
- Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 (2 active studies)
- Recurrent Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma (2 active studies)
- Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 (2 active studies)
- Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (1 active study)
- Advanced Gastric Adenocarcinoma (1 active study)
- Advanced Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma (1 active study)
Leading research sponsors in Santa Cruz
- SWOG Cancer Research Network
- NRG Oncology
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
- University of California Santa Cruz
Frequently asked questions
How many paid clinical trials are currently recruiting in Santa Cruz?
There are approximately 21 recruiting clinical trials in Santa Cruz, California listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. The number changes weekly as new studies open and others close enrollment.
Do clinical trials in Santa Cruz pay participants?
Most recruiting trials in Santa Cruz 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 Cruz?
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 Cruz?
The most common conditions under active study in Santa Cruz include Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 (2), Recurrent Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma (2), Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 (2), Advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (1), among many others. Browse the list above to explore every recruiting trial.
Are there clinical trials for healthy volunteers in Santa Cruz?
Yes. Healthy-volunteer studies — often early-phase pharmacology or vaccine trials — recruit in Santa Cruz 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 Cruz?
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 Cruz?
Recruiting research sites in Santa Cruz include Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Radiation Oncology Medical Group, Social Science 2 Building, 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 Cruz right now?
The largest active categories in Santa Cruz are Cancer & tumors (18), Pediatric (1). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.