Paid Clinical Trials in California

Candace Kastanis

Written by Candace Kastanis

Chemistry B.S. | UC Davis | Clinical Lab Technician

Updated & Fact Checked 7/30/26

Paid Clinical Trials in California

California runs more clinical trials than any other state. As of July 2026, 5,479 studies are actively recruiting here, according to ClinicalTrials.gov, spread across many institutions rather than concentrated in one or two.

In CA, you’ll find thousands upon thousands of studies; there are over 2,000 vendors of Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), and that’s before you even get into the trials such organizations facilitate. Whether or not a paid clinical trial makes sense if you are looking for one for healthy volunteers or for a specific condition, is going to be dependent on your location. Are you in Eureka? San Diego? San Francisco? Los Angeles? Sacramento? Where you are will indicate where the most convenient trials will be.

Just keep in mind: trials tend to involve more than one individual, so one trial could be five, ten, twenty, or a hundred individual opportunities; it depends on the trial. What’s more, as an opportunity for income, clinical trials are very sustainable. Estimates are that .005% of the total U.S. population must be engaged at all times for science to advance. There are over 39,000,000 people in CA, meaning for the industry to be maintained, at any given time, there are probably at least 195,000 opportunities. Since there are 2k+ CROs in the state, each study must average around 100 participants. Some will have more, others less. Here we’ll look into where to find them to help you inform your choice of CRO.

Quick Facts: Paid Clinical Trials in California

  • Actively recruiting studies (July 2026): 5,479 (ClinicalTrials.gov)
  • State-funded research: California is the only state with its own multibillion-dollar research agency, CIRM, which funds stem cell and gene therapy trials and helps patients with trial-related travel costs
  • Typical compensation: $50–$100 per completed outpatient visit; residential Phase 1 studies pay more (see highest paid clinical trials)
  • Cost to participate: $0 — study care and visits are covered by the sponsor
  • Worth knowing: trials are spread across many institutions statewide, so it is worth contacting several — eligibility criteria differ between protocols for the same condition

What’s being studied in California right now

We sampled 1,000 recruiting California studies on ClinicalTrials.gov in July 2026. The most active sites and most-studied conditions:

Most active research sitesMost-studied conditions
University of California, San Francisco (66 listings)Breast cancer
Stanford University (51)Colorectal cancer
City of Hope, Duarte (55)Ovarian cancer
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles (33)Advanced solid tumors
UC San Diego and Moores Cancer Center (40)Non-small cell lung cancer

No single institution dominates California. The University of California system alone runs research at San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, Irvine, and elsewhere, alongside Stanford, City of Hope, Cedars-Sinai, and Scripps. For city-level listings see Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose.

2026 California Research Updates

  • Record state research budget: CIRM approved $662 million in new awards for the 2026–27 fiscal year, the largest in the agency’s history, funded through Proposition 14.
  • First approved therapy from state funding: a CIRM-funded gene therapy for leucocyte adhesion deficiency-I received FDA approval, the agency’s first.
  • New clinical trial funding: CIRM’s board approved $31 million for three new clinical trials and more than $80 million in discovery grants in March 2026.
  • Help getting to trials: CIRM’s Community Care Centers of Excellence program is investing up to $60 million to widen access to trials across the state, including support for travel and lodging.
  • 5,479 studies are recruiting statewide as of July 2026 — more than any other state.

Expanding Clinical Research Opportunities Across California

When it comes to finding paid clinical trials nearby for healthy volunteers, you want to use demographics to help predict what will be available. CROs will tailor their studies to match local demographics for convenience in many cases.

In California, census data reveals that 71% of the population have a Caucasian ethnic root, while 40% have a Hispanic route, around 15.9% have an Asian background, and 6.5% are of African descent. Data indicates that 50% of the population are female, and 50% are male. 56.6% are over 18 and under the age of 65. Accordingly, the majority of CRO studies will fall in that range, though there will be other options available.

We have compiled the following list of paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers, click the Search All button at the bottom to find more:

Product Surveillance Registry
NCT01524276
Recruiting
The purpose of the Registry is to provide continuing evaluation and periodic reporting of safety and effectiveness of Medtronic market-released products. The Registry data is intended to benefit and support interests of patients, hospitals, clinicians, regulatory bodies, payers, and industry by streamlining the clinical surveillance process and facilitating leading edge performance assessment via the least burdensome approach.
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
All
Trial Updated:
07/24/2025
Locations: Not set, Aliso Viejo, California +11 locations
Conditions: Cardiac Rhythm Disorders, Urological Disorders, Neurological Disorders, Cardiovascular Disorders, Digestive Disorders, Intracranial Aneurysm, Mechanical Circulatory Support, Respiratory Therapy, Aortic, Peripheral Vascular and Venous Disorders, Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures, Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures, Surgical Procedures, Operative, Renal Insufficiency, Neurovascular, Coronary Artery Disease, Ear, Nose and Throat Disorder
Register for Updates
MILD® Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression: A Medicare Claims Study
NCT03072927
Recruiting
This prospective longitudinal study will compare incidence rates of Medicare beneficiary surgical and minimally invasive intervention post index procedure, as well as harms associated with the MILD procedure, at 24 months post-treatment with MILD, tested against a control group of similar patients that have had a comparable procedure. This study will start with patients treated with a study procedure having an index date on or after January 1, 2017, and enrollment will continue until stopped by... Read More
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
18 years and above
Trial Updated:
08/13/2025
Locations: Pacific Ambulatory Surgery Center, Alhambra, California +184 locations
Conditions: Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Register for Updates
A Phase 1 Study of Ruxolitinib, Steroids and Lenalidomide for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (RRMM) Patients
NCT03110822
Recruiting
This is a phase 1, multicenter, open-label study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ruxolitinib, steroids and lenalidomide among MM patients who currently show progressive disease.
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
18 years and above
Trial Updated:
10/30/2023
Locations: Global Oncology, Inc., Alhambra, California +8 locations
Conditions: Multiple Myeloma
Register for Updates
Fisetin to Improve Physical Function in Stage I-III Breast Cancer Survivors
NCT05595499
Recruiting
This phase II trial tests whether fisetin works to improve physical function in women who have received chemotherapy for stage I-III breast cancer treatment. Fisetin is a naturally occurring substance that is found in strawberries and other foods. Fisetin eliminates cells that have undergone a process called senescence. Senescence is when a cell ages and permanently stops dividing but does not die. Over time, large numbers of these cells build up in tissues throughout the body and can release ha... Read More
Gender:
FEMALE
Ages:
All
Trial Updated:
06/27/2025
Locations: UCLA Health Cancer Care in Alhambra, Alhambra, California +6 locations
Conditions: Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8
Register for Updates
Disitamab Vedotin With Pembrolizumab vs Chemotherapy in Previously Untreated Urothelial Cancer Expressing HER2
NCT05911295
Recruiting
This study will enroll participants with urothelial cancer (UC). UC can include cancer of the bladder, kidney, or the tubes that carry pee through the body (ureter, urethra). This study will try to find out if the drugs disitamab vedotin with pembrolizumab works better than platinum-containing chemotherapy to treat patients with UC. This study will also test what side effects happen when participants take these drugs together. A side effect is anything a drug does to the body besides treating th... Read More
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
18 years and above
Trial Updated:
08/14/2025
Locations: UCLA Hematology/Oncology - Alhambra, Alhambra, California +55 locations
Conditions: Urothelial Carcinoma
Register for Updates
Prevention of Frailty With Fisetin and Exercise in Breast Cancer Survivors
NCT06113016
Recruiting
This phase II trial tests how well fisetin and exercise works in preventing frailty in breast cancer survivors. Fisetin is a natural substance found in strawberries and other foods and is available as a nutritional supplement. Nutritional supplements may be useful in eliminating cells that have undergone a process called senescence. Senescence is when a cell ages and permanently stops dividing but does not die. Over time, large numbers of these cells build up in tissues throughout the body and c... Read More
Gender:
FEMALE
Ages:
All
Trial Updated:
06/30/2025
Locations: UCLA Health Cancer Care in Alhambra, Alhambra, California +5 locations
Conditions: Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage III Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Early Stage Breast Carcinoma
Register for Updates
TB006 for Autism Spectrum Disorder
NCT06500637
Recruiting
Multisite 14-week prospective double-blind placebo controlled parallel-group randomized clinical trial with 14-week open-label extension at the end of double-blind treatment phase for placebo subjects. Eligible subjects will be randomized within each site in 2:1 ratio to receive either TB006 or placebo treatment.
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
Between 18 years and 35 years
Trial Updated:
08/13/2024
Locations: Rossignol Medical Center, Aliso Viejo, California
Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder
Register for Updates
Quantification of Phosphorylated Alpha-synuclein in Cutaneous Biopsies as a Prospective Biomarker in Parkinson's Disease
NCT06621602
Recruiting
This study aims to assess the levels of phosphorylated alpha-synuclein (P-SYN) in patients with Parkinson's disease and REM Behavior Disorder using a minimally invasive skin punch biopsy. It seeks to understand the natural progression of P-SYN deposition over time to explore the potential of P-SYN quantification as a biomarker for disease progression.
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
Between 50 years and 100 years
Trial Updated:
08/04/2025
Locations: Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County, Aliso Viejo, California +2 locations
Conditions: REM Behavior Disorder, Parkinson Disease
Register for Updates
A Phase 2a Multicenter Clinical Trial of TB006 in Participants With Parkinson's Disease
NCT06773962
Recruiting
The primary objectives of this study are to assess the efficacy of TB006 in improving motor function and to assess the safety of TB006 in participants with Parkinson's Disease (PD).
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
Between 50 years and 80 years
Trial Updated:
08/06/2025
Locations: Parkinson's Research Centers of America - Orange County, Aliso Viejo, California
Conditions: Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Register for Updates
An Observational Study of Individuals With Isolated Dystonia
NCT07111663
Recruiting
This is an observational study in individuals with isolated (or primary) dystonia that involves more than one body region. The purpose of the study is to collect detailed information to help your physician and other researchers understand how dystonia impacts your and other patients' lives and how the disease changes over time. The study may also help researchers better understand the clinical scales that are commonly used to evaluate dystonia symptoms and how they affect various areas of life s... Read More
Gender:
ALL
Ages:
Between 12 years and 65 years
Trial Updated:
08/01/2025
Locations: Vima Site #010, Aliso Viejo, California +1 locations
Conditions: Isolated/Primary Dystonia That Affects More Than One Region of the Body
Register for Updates
Search All >>

Notable Diversity in California Initiates Paid Clinical Trial Opportunities

Essentially, you can expect paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers to be equally distributed among males and females, and center primarily on Caucasians over 18 and under 65. Studies that need Hispanic persons specifically will be the next most common, followed by Asian and African studies.

Click here for California clinical trials in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose.

CROs in California Are Presently Seeking Trial Participants

The reality here is, that you’ve got a lot of opportunities to find effective, representative paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers nearby. Unless you’re in a remote county, something is going on really close. Here are three options from different areas throughout the state to help you figure out what to look for:

California Has Made Some Real Breakthroughs

Involving yourself in medical research means putting yourself on the cutting edge of modern science. California particularly is famous for the breakthroughs it has made. These include:

California Paid Clinical Trial FAQs

  • How much do paid clinical trials pay here?

    Most outpatient studies pay $50–$100 per completed visit, plus travel reimbursement. Residential Phase 1 studies pay considerably more. The exact amount appears in the consent form before you enroll.

  • Where are most clinical trials in California?

    The Bay Area and Southern California hold the largest shares. UCSF and Stanford anchor the north, while UCLA, Cedars-Sinai, City of Hope, and UC San Diego cover the south. Sacramento, Irvine, and San Jose add further options. See our pages for Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.

  • What is CIRM and does it help participants?

    CIRM is California’s state stem cell and gene therapy agency, created by ballot measure and funded with $8.5 billion through Propositions 71 and 14. It funds trials at California institutions and runs a program that helps patients with the practical costs of taking part, including travel and lodging for some studies.

  • Are Spanish-language studies available in California?

    Frequently. Many California research sites have bilingual coordinators and Spanish-language consent documents, and sponsors often recruit specifically for representation across the state’s diverse population. Ask the coordinator what language support a study provides.

Finding California Research Trial Opportunities

Whether you’re living amidst the redwoods, in the desert, or along the coast, you’ve got opportunities for paid research trials in California. Start looking. You’ll be able to advance medicine, supplement your income, and make a solid contribution to society all at the same time.

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