Clinical Trials

Share

Clinical trials are a key component of high-quality care for cancer patients and enable cancer breakthroughs. Clinical trials help cancer patients access the latest innovations in cancer care, and they help advance new standards of care that can improve survival rates and quality of life for people with cancer.  

Unfortunately, clinical trial participation can be difficult and unreachable for many cancer patients, who often have to take time off work, travel long distances, and incur significant costs to participate. This leads to many clinical trials being unable to enroll enough participants and increasingly is leading to more clinical trials for new treatments and therapies being conducted outside of the U.S.  

ACS CAN is working to reduce barriers to clinical trial participation and increase enrollment among underrepresented groups, including rural residents, those with limited income, older adults and communities of color. 

Take Action

woman looking through a microscope

Urge your members of Congress to make clinical trials more accessible

No cancer patient should have to pass up a clinical trial because of where they live or how much money they make. That’s why we need Congress to act. Send a message to your members of Congress and urge them to pass a bill that will make clinical trials more accessible.

Latest Updates

July 13, 2026
National

Today, the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network submitted a comment letter to the Office of Management and Budget strongly opposing a proposed rule that would change the federal government’s grantmaking framework.

July 13, 2026
National

Nearly 200 patient advocacy, public health and health care professional organizations sent a letter to the Senate declaring their strong support for the Clinical Trial Modernization Act (S. 4440/H.R. 3521). The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help remove cost and geographic barriers that keep patients from enrolling and participating in clinical trials. The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Mark Warner (D-VA) in April 2026 and in the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-TX).

May 20, 2026

When Michael was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma, doctors told him it was incurable. For over six years, Michael went through chemotherapy and other treatment protocols that initially worked, but didn’t last over time. His mind went to dark places, but hope came to him in the form of a

May 1, 2026
National

A new bill that would improve access to clinical trials was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. Sponsored by Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), the Clinical Trial Modernization Act (S. 4440) would help reduce cost and geographic barriers, making it easier for patients to take part in clinical trials. U.S. Representatives Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and August Pfluger (R-Texas) introduced the House version (H.R. 3521) of this legislation in May 2025.

Clinical Trials Resources

ACS CAN led a support letter with 195 organizations supporting the passage of S.4440, the Clinical Trial Modernization Act, a bill that would help remove financial barriers to clinical trial participation. 

People who live in rural and remote areas have specific challenges in accessing cancer treatments and preventive services. It is estimated that up to 20% of the U.S.

Twenty five groups joined to ask the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) to create a safe harbor from the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) allowing sponsors to financially support participants in cancer clinical trials.