Bethesda, MD Clinical Trials Report — July 2026

Bethesda participants should act quickly on studies expected to close within the next 90 days. The city has 37 recruiting trials nearing their enrollment windows, including 14 that accept healthy volunteers. Bethesda remains a major research hub, with 827 recruiting trials across 124 facilities, so people with a qualifying condition or those willing to join as healthy volunteers have a broad local pool to review.

Closing opportunities span cancer, cardiovascular disease, and more

Enrollment may end before a projected closing date if a study reaches its participant target. The conditions most represented among Bethesda trials closing soon are:

• Stroke (2 trials)
• Amputation (2 trials)
• Metastatic malignant solid neoplasm (2 trials)
• Advanced malignant solid neoplasm (2 trials)
• Normal physiology (2 trials)
• Cardiovascular disease (2 trials)
• Atrial fibrillation, bipolar disorder, anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, and autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease (1 trial each)

The healthy-volunteer opportunities among these closing studies are especially time-sensitive. Eligibility can depend on age, medical history, medications, laboratory results, and the ability to attend multiple visits. People who fit a listed condition, as well as healthy adults looking for research participation, should contact study teams now rather than wait until the end of the 90-day period.

NIH Clinical Center anchors Bethesda’s trial access

The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center is the dominant local research destination, with 590 recruiting trials. Its volume reflects Bethesda’s strong concentration of federally sponsored research across cancer, infectious diseases, neurology, mental health, heart and lung conditions, and studies involving healthy volunteers.

• National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (590 trials)
• Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (67 trials)
• Research Site (13 trials)
• National Cancer Institute Developmental Therapeutics Clinic (11 trials)
• Suburban Hospital (9 trials)
• National Institutes of Health (8 trials)
• National Cancer Institute (6 trials)
• The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (6 trials)

Walter Reed provides another substantial access point, while the National Cancer Institute facilities and The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders offer concentrated oncology options. Suburban Hospital and the other listed sites broaden access for participants seeking studies outside the largest federal research campus.

Ten new studies opened in July

Bethesda added 10 new trials in July, matching the 10 that opened in May. The recent monthly pattern was 12 new trials in February, 7 in March, 8 in April, 11 in May, 10 in June, and 10 in July; the August figure in the supplied trend is 3. July’s new studies include drug, behavioral, biological, dietary-supplement, and radiation research.

Nine of the 10 new trials are sponsored by NIH components or other NIH-affiliated organizations, underscoring the city’s academic and government-led research profile rather than an industry-heavy mix. Notable openings include:

• NCT07712874, “Screening Protocol,” sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. This large screening study plans to evaluate volunteers interested in NCCIH research on pain and related processes, including emotion, mood, and decision-making. It expects 10,000 participants.
• NCT07700511, “Healthy Volunteer Recruitment and Characterization for NINDS Studies,” sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The study prescreens healthy volunteers for possible participation in future NINDS research and plans to enroll 500 participants.
• NCT07683104, “Natural History of Trisomy 8-Associated Autoinflammatory Disease (TRIAD) and Related Disorders,” sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Researchers will study the inflammation, symptoms, and disease course associated with trisomy 8 mosaicism. Planned enrollment is 750.
• NCT07686380, a Phase 2 study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute testing an IL-15 superagonist, with or without a vaccine, in people with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer after stereotactic body radiation therapy. The study plans to enroll 65 participants.

New July condition categories include healthy participants, aspergillosis, colorectal neoplasms, dengue, dimorphic fungal disease, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, lipid metabolism disorders, metastasis, and neoplasm. Drug studies lead the new-trial types with 4 openings, followed by one behavioral, one biological, one dietary-supplement, and one radiation study.

Healthy volunteers have a sizable local pipeline

Five of July’s 10 new trials accept healthy volunteers, and Bethesda has 280 healthy-volunteer trials recruiting overall. Two of the new condition categories are labeled healthy, with another listed as healthy volunteers, and the NINDS and NCCIH screening studies provide particularly visible entry points for people without a diagnosed condition.

Eligibility across the new trials is varied. 3 include children, none are female-only, 1 is male-only, and 8 include older adults. Healthy volunteers should review each protocol carefully: some studies may require specific age ranges, no major medical conditions, medication restrictions, or repeated visits. Patients should also check whether a trial requires a particular diagnosis, prior treatment, stage of disease, or laboratory finding.

Nearby Maryland cities expand the search

Bethesda offers far more recruiting research than the nearby cities listed in the data, but participants who can travel may find additional options in Maryland. Baltimore has 19 trials, while Brooklyn, Columbia, Gaithersburg, Salisbury, Silver Spring, and Wheaton each have 1. Baltimore is the strongest nearby alternative, and Silver Spring, Wheaton, and Gaithersburg may be practical options for people seeking a shorter trip.

With NIH-led openings continuing and 14 healthy-volunteer studies approaching their projected closing windows, July is a good time for Bethesda residents to confirm eligibility and contact local research sites. The city’s large active pipeline should continue offering opportunities into the coming months, but studies with limited enrollment can change status quickly.