Network Searches
- How do I find a Clinical Research Network?
- How do I Browse Networks?
- How do I conduct a Keyword Search?
- How do I conduct an Advanced Search?
How do I find a Clinical Research Network?
There are three ways to look for a network:
Browse Networks to find a network listed by name sorted alphabetically.
Keyword Search to find a network from a text search for a keyword or words.
Advanced Search to find networks meeting specific criteria using exact terms or words with similar meanings. To expedite a search for a condition/topic or geographic area there is drop down menu in the Advanced Search page.
If you do not find what you are looking for with one type of search, try another or contact us at Help@ClinicalResearchNetworks.org.
How do I Browse Networks?
Browse Networks will bring up a full alphabetical list of all networks in the Inventory. Clicking on the name of any network in the browse listing will open up that network's profile. This is the quickest way to get information on a network whose name you know. In the network profile you will find information on the year the network was established, types of studies it conducts, types of participating entities, funding sources, study topics, and special populations.
How do I conduct a Keyword Search?
Keyword Search allows search terms, separated by commas, to be entered in the search box. You can search on network study area, the study type, location, funding, network name, network acronym, study populations, and participating entities.
A search term can be a single word or phrase. For example "Spinal Muscular Atrophy" is a single search term. "Spinal Muscular Atrophy, pediatric" is two terms.
Hint: You can narrow your search by using Advanced Search.
How do I conduct an Advanced Search?
Advanced Search provides a form for specifying search criteria by category. Networks will be identified in a listing when matches are found in network profile information. For example if you select "U.S. Federal government" for Funding Sources and "Clinical trials, Phase I" for Types of Studies, all networks with both Clinical trials, Phase I and U.S. Federal government funding will be identified. If you select more than one response within a single search field such as "Clinical trials, Phase I" and "Clinical trials, Phase II" in Types of Studies, networks identified will include either Phase I or Phase II types of studies.
It is not necessary to choose a response for all items. Providing specific information in multiple fields will result in a more precise search; searching on fewer fields will make your inquiry broader and will likely result in a higher number of identified networks.
Advanced Search Terms
Conditions/Topics
Select the specific MeSH coded health problem or conditions being studied from the drop down list. The search will look for all conditions listed and their synonyms.
Types of Studies
From the list select the study types you are interested in. The results will include networks that listed any of the selected study types.
The phase of a clinical trial describes the type of questions it is seeking to answer:
Clinical trial, Phase I is the first test of a new drug or treatment in a small group to evaluate safety, to determine a safe dosage range and to identify side effects.
Clinical trial, Phase II is a study to determine effectiveness and safety of drug or treatment.
Clinical trial, Phase III is the test of study drug or treatment to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Clinical trial, Phase IV is a follow-up study to evaluate risks benefits and optimal uses after a treatment is already available for general use.
Field or community intervention studies are trials set outside the clinical setting, testing a health intervention on healthy population.
Other intervention studies including behavioral studies include intervention studies in a clinical setting or behavioral interventions in clinical or community setting.
Observational epidemiology studies include the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states in specified populations in which the investigator does not have control of the environment in which the observation takes place.
Other observational studies include other studies in clinical or non clinical environment in which the investigator does not control circumstance but observes only.
Outcomes research studies include outcomes research seeks to understand the end results of particular health care practices and interventions. It relies on measures and instruments to measure the results experienced by people who receive particular health care practices and interventions.
Unless you are only interested in one specific type of study, leaving this blank will bring up all types of studies meeting other research criteria. A review of the summary results will show all responses.
Funding Sources
Select from the list of funding sources to restrict search to specific types of organizations responsible for providing financial support for studies. More than one selection can be searched on. The search will return all networks reporting any one of the items selected (i.e. an OR search). All funding source categories are included when no item is selected.
Specific Agency
When U.S. federal government is selected, items in a second list are made available. A selection in this box will restrict the results to networks receiving funding from the particular U.S. government institute or agency selected. All sources of U.S. federal funding will be returned if no selection is made in the second list box.
Geographic Coverage
From the drop down list specify the narrowest category that fits your search needs. The response categories reflect the scope of geographic coverage. If you want to search on a particular country or municipality, using Keyword Search with the geographic location name as the keyword is a better search strategy.
Participating Entities
This search field refers to the institutions or agencies that comprise the membership of each network. To search this item, select from the drop down list. The search will find networks that include the selected categories.
Special Populations
These populations were the response selections for a question about the current focus of the network's research. If your selection does not result in a match, you can try typing the population as a keyword in the Keyword Search.
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