Which of the following provides a comprehensive list of ongoing clinical research in a given therapeutic area?

The correct answer is that clinicaltrials.gov provides a comprehensive list of ongoing clinical research in a given therapeutic area. This extensive database is maintained by the National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health and serves as a primary resource where users can search for information on clinical studies conducted around the world. It offers detailed information including study purpose, eligibility criteria, locations, and contact information, making it easy for researchers, healthcare professionals, and patients to find relevant clinical trials.

The reason clinicaltrials.gov is the definitive choice is its role as a centralized, publicly accessible database that collates information from various sponsors, investigators, and institutions. In contrast, while study sponsors may have information on their specific trials, the data will not be comprehensive across all ongoing studies. The National Institutes of Health itself is a significant entity involved in research but relies on clinicaltrials.gov to share the details of clinical trials. The Food and Drug Administration regulates the approval of drugs and oversees clinical trial conduct but does not provide a database of ongoing trials.