Why does research take so long? Recruiting study participants is one factor. For many, participating in research may be an entirely new concept. Or perhaps you have considered getting involved but did not know what local opportunities are available.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has a search tool, Fox Trial Finder — with new updates! — to overcome these hurdles and help science move faster. You can use it to browse many kinds of studies, even virtual ones you can join from the comfort of your own home.
What Is Fox Trial Finder?
Fox Trial Finder is an online clinical trial matching tool. It connects community members to Parkinson’s studies in need of volunteers. Since our last major redesign of Fox Trial Finder in 2020, Fox Trial Finder has facilitated more than 15,000 referrals to research studies.
Simply answer a few basic questions, and the tool will deliver study matches based on your answers. No login is required, which also makes the tool easy for family members and care teams to use on behalf of a loved one or patient. Reach out to study teams right through the tool or find contact information to raise your hand another way.
The site also holds and links information on joining a clinical trial. This education readies users to participate.
Want to be notified when new studies are looking for volunteers like you? Register for email notifications.
Who Can Use the Tool?
Fox Trial Finder is for everyone. People with Parkinson’s and other parkinsonisms, such as multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, can find studies. People without PD can also use Fox Trial Finder to find trials looking for control volunteers. If you are new to clinical trial participation, you can find more educational resources at Your Role in Parkinson's Research.
What’s New with Fox Trial Finder?
Fox Trial Finder has evolved as we’ve received user feedback and made use of new digital capabilities. In 2026, we improved Fox Trial Finder’s search and filtering functions and updated its look and feel. Here we outline some more improvements to the tool:
- Lay Summaries: Fox Trial Finder has an option for users to enable AI-based lay summaries to help “translate” study descriptions, which are pulled in automatically from clinicaltrials.gov and may contain technical language. Enabling the AI feature will help users understand a study without having to look up terminology. Currently, the feature is only available for a subset of studies but will debut across the tool.
- Share a Study: A “share” button for each study allows you to easily share a study via email, WhatsApp, Facebook, X/Twitter and LinkedIn. This feature is important for family, friends and healthcare providers who are searching on behalf of another person.
- RBD Studies: Given the increase in research around the link between REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) and Parkinson’s, Fox Trial Finder started pulling in RBD studies (with or without a Parkinson’s diagnosis).
- Virtual Studies Search: You can filter for virtual studies where you can participate without having to leave your home. Many of these studies simply require answering questions via email.
- Control Volunteer Search: You can also filter for studies in need of control volunteers without PD.
- Updated Search: Users now have the flexibility to filter search results and tweak answers to questions without having to start over. For instance, you can easily adjust your preferred distance to a study site or change your medication selections to check what other studies may be relevant.
- Language Visibility: Language is now the first question. Fox Trial Finder is available in U.S. English, Spanish, French, Korean, Chinese, Russian and Hindi. You can filter results by language spoken at the study site, too.
How Do I Get Started?
Catalyzing the community is one of the pillars of the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s mission. By offering direct access to clinical trial information, we’re connecting people to enrollment opportunities within their own communities. You may be surprised by what you find and how easy it is to connect to Parkinson’s research! Make a difference and try it today: https://www.michaeljfox.org/trial-finder.
