TriangleClinicalTrials.gov listings
What the NCT number, the status words, and an empty contact field mean — and what a listing cannot tell you.
This is not clinical evidence and not medical advice. It does not replace your care team. Discuss anything here with your clinician before you act on it. Product questions are on the FAQ.
What is an NCT number?
The ID ClinicalTrials.gov assigns when a study is registered: NCT plus eight digits. It never changes. Use it when you talk to a clinic, a sponsor, or your care team. A drug name can belong to several studies; this number belongs to one.
What does Recruiting mean on ClinicalTrials.gov?
The study is enrolling now. Contact details are shown, so you or your doctor can reach the team.
What does Not yet recruiting mean?
Registered, not started. Contact details may or may not be listed yet.
What does Active, not recruiting mean?
People are still being treated or followed, but they are not taking anyone new. The registry hides the contacts for these studies.
What does Unknown status mean?
The last known status was recruiting, not yet recruiting, or active not recruiting, but the record passed its own completion date without being updated. Treat it as possibly stale. Confirm by phone before you act on it.
Why is there no contact listed for a study?
Contacts appear only while a study is recruiting or not yet recruiting. Once it is active but not recruiting, completed, terminated, suspended, withdrawn, or enrolling by invitation, the registry removes them.
What are inclusion and exclusion criteria?
Inclusion: who can join. Exclusion: who cannot. Together they are the eligibility criteria. They are written for clinicians. Read them with your oncologist.
How current is a ClinicalTrials.gov listing?
Look at Last Update Posted — the last time the sponsor changed the record. An old date does not mean the study is closed, but confirm the status before you travel.
What is expanded access or compassionate use?
An FDA pathway for a person with a serious or immediately life-threatening condition to receive an investigational product outside a trial, when no comparable alternative exists and joining a trial is not possible. It is not a trial. The product has not been shown to be safe or effective for that use.
See recruiting Phase 1 trials →
Sources
- ClinicalTrials.gov: How to Read a Study RecordThe NCT number is assigned at registration; Last Update Posted is the date the record last changed.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: How to Read a Study Record — Study statusDefinitions of Recruiting, Not yet recruiting, Active not recruiting, and Unknown statuses.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: How to Read a Study Record — Contacts and LocationsContact information is shown only for Recruiting and Not yet recruiting studies.
- ClinicalTrials.gov: How to Read a Study Record — Participation CriteriaParticipation criteria are shown as inclusion and exclusion criteria.
- FDA: Expanded AccessExpanded access conditions: serious or immediately life-threatening condition, no comparable alternative, trial enrolment not possible; investigational products have not been shown safe and effective for the use.