CHARLOTTE, NC
Osteoarthritis Clinical Trials
Seven osteoarthritis studies are enrolling near Charlotte NC, covering knees, hips and one elbow. However, nothing here is open for hands, thumbs or shoulders, and we would rather say so. Compensation is provided for eligible participants.
7
Open Near Charlotte
3
For the Knee
+/- $100
Per Visit
New here? Read how this page works
First, here is the honest picture. Seven studies are open here, but they split into two very different kinds. So here is how to use this page.
- Ask for your X ray grade and your pain score. Because a grade of 2 or 3 opens most drug studies, and grade 4 closes several of them.
- List every weight drug you have ever taken. Notably, any past use of that class rules you out of both knee and weight studies here.
- If surgery is already planned, say so. In fact, four of the seven open studies simply follow an operation you were having anyway.
- Finally, tap the button. Then we check you against every study we track and tell you which ones fit.
Of course, checking never signs you up for anything. You are only seeing where you might fit.
Studies Open Near Charlotte Right Now
Seven of them, which is unusually busy. Three are for the knee, three for the hip, and one for the elbow.
Knee studies, and both weight ones rule out diabetes
Three run for the knee. One is a single injection inside Charlotte, and the other two pair knee pain with weight, as a weekly shot or a daily tablet.
One Knee Injection, Then Twelve Weeks
Saol Therapeutics / Late stage injection
This is a single injection for knee pain, given once and then measured for twelve weeks. So there is no daily pill and no weekly shot to keep up with. Half the people get salt water instead, and neither you nor the doctor knows which. Notably, you have to pass a numbing test first to get in. The site is inside Charlotte.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: a single shot that lasts months would change how knee pain is handled. Meanwhile, most people are offered either tablets every day or surgery, with little in between.
Who this study is looking for
- Long standing knee pain from wear in the joint
- Also, an X ray grade of 2 or 3, so mild or middling rather than severe
- Besides that, A response to a numbing injection at screening
- Finally, already taking something for the pain
- Also, aged 40 or over
Probably not a fit if: a grade 4 knee rules you out, and so does grade 1. So bone on bone is too far gone for this one. Also, other kinds of arthritis, and poor kidney or liver results.
- Placebo group: Yes, and it is salt water. The odds are not published, so ask the clinic outright.
- How long: One injection, then the main measure at twelve weeks.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 6 to 9 in person, counting screening, the numbing test, the injection day and the checks through week 12. But treat that as an estimate, because only a start and an end point are published.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: Two needles into the knee area, counting the test one. So the numbing test at screening comes before the study injection.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Queen City Clinical Research, Charlotte NC 28211.
- Drive from Charlotte: The site is in Charlotte, off Randolph Road.
- The numbing test is a real gate. If it does not settle your pain, you are out. So ask what it involves and whether they do it in the office.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
The Same Idea, but a Daily Pill
Eli Lilly / Late stage tablet
This is the tablet version of the study above, and that is the practical difference. You take it once a day by mouth, so there are no needles at all. It is aimed at knee pain in people who are carrying extra weight. Half the group gets a dummy tablet, and it runs about a year and a half. The site is at Shelby.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: a pill is far easier to keep up than a weekly shot, and this drug class has only ever come as an injection. Meanwhile, the knee is what is being measured here rather than the scales alone.
Who this study is looking for
- Knee pain from wear in the joint
- Also, A body mass index of 27 or higher
- Besides that, at least one tried and failed attempt at losing weight by diet
- Finally, plus one of these, which are being over 50, morning stiffness of about half an hour, or a grinding knee
Probably not a fit if: any diabetes rules you out. Also, any drug in this class within the last six months, and weight surgery planned or past. Notably, gaining or losing more than eleven pounds in the last three months also excludes you.
- Placebo group: Yes. It is a matching dummy tablet, and the odds are not published.
- How long: About seventy four weeks, with the main measure at week 72.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 15 to 18 in person over about a year and a half, since blood samples run through week 48. But treat that as an estimate, because only a start and week 72 are published.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: Blood tests and X rays. No injections anywhere in it. So for a lot of people this is the easier of the two weight and knee studies.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Carolina Research Center, Shelby NC 28150.
- Drive from Charlotte: Shelby is about 45 miles west, so roughly 50 minutes on US-74.
- Your weight has to have been steady. An eleven pound swing in three months excludes you, which catches people who started dieting before they called.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
A Weekly Shot Aimed at Weight and Knee Pain
Novo Nordisk / Late stage injection
This one has two goals at once, which are weight loss and knee pain. You give yourself a shot under the skin once a week, at home. Half the group gets a dummy shot instead, and it runs about eighteen months. However, it takes worse knees than most drug studies do, including bone on bone. The site is at Statesville.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: carrying less weight takes real load off a knee, and the newer weekly drugs shift a lot of it. Meanwhile, this is one of the first to measure the knee and the scales together.
Who this study is looking for
- Knee pain from wear in the joint, diagnosed the standard way
- Also, an X ray grade of 2, 3 or 4, so this one takes severe knees
- Besides that, pain in that knee on more than 15 of the last 30 days
- Finally, willing to hold painkillers for 72 hours before some visits
Probably not a fit if: any diabetes rules you out, and so does any past use of these drugs. So Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Saxenda or Victoza at any point closes this door. Also, an HbA1c of 6.5 or higher, and a knee injection in the last three months.
- Placebo group: Yes. It is a matching dummy shot, and the odds are not published.
- How long: About eighteen months, with the main measure at week 80.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 15 to 20 in person, closer together at first while the dose is built up. But treat that as an estimate, because only a start and an end point are published.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: A shot you give yourself every week, plus X rays and blood tests. Also, a 72 hour painkiller pause before the visits where they score your knee.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Piedmont Healthcare Research, Statesville NC 28625.
- Drive from Charlotte: Statesville is about 40 miles north, so roughly 45 minutes on I-77.
- The painkiller pause is the hard part. Three days without your usual relief, more than once, on a knee that already hurts. So plan those days carefully.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Studies attached to surgery you may already be having
Four more follow hip and elbow operations. Nobody is assigned to surgery and nobody gets a fake one, so these only fit if an operation is already the plan.
For a First Hip Replacement You Are Already Having
Zimmer Biomet / Tracking study
Nothing here is experimental, and nothing is assigned. This tracks a hip part that is already on the market, in people already booked for surgery. So you have the operation you were having anyway, and the team records how it holds up. It follows people out to five years. The site is inside Charlotte.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: hip parts are judged on how long they last, and that answer takes years to gather. Meanwhile, joining costs a patient almost nothing beyond turning up to the checks.
Who this study is looking for
- Already a candidate for a first hip replacement
- Also, because of joint wear, a broken hip, or bone that has lost its blood supply
- Besides that, willing to come back for the scheduled checks
- Finally, aged 18 or over
Probably not a fit if: a redo of an old hip replacement does not qualify. So this one is first time hips only. Also, a metal allergy to cobalt, chrome or nickel rules you out, as does infection.
- Placebo group: None. Everybody gets the real part, because nothing is randomly assigned.
- How long: Checks to two years, then patient reports out to five.
- Clinic visits: About 5 to 7 in person, which are the planning visit, the surgery, then the usual checks out to two years and one more near five.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: The hip operation, which you would be having regardless. So the study itself adds forms and follow up rather than any procedure.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: OrthoCarolina Research Institute, Charlotte NC 28207.
- Drive from Charlotte: The site is in Charlotte, at OrthoCarolina.
- Ask whether your surgeon was using this part anyway. Joining should not change the plan they had already made for you.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Guidance Software During a Hip Operation
DePuy Orthopaedics / Tracking study
This checks whether a guidance system puts the hip socket exactly where the surgeon planned. So the surgery is the standard one, with a navigation tool added in theatre. There is no fake operation and no dummy anything. However, it only fits if your surgeon operates with you lying on your side. The site is at Gastonia.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: socket position drives how a new hip feels and how long it lasts. Meanwhile, getting it right by eye is harder than most people assume.
Who this study is looking for
- Booked for a first hip replacement without cement
- Also, through an approach done with you lying on your side
- Besides that, suitable for the guidance system your surgeon uses
- Finally, aged 21 or over, and not bedbound
Probably not a fit if: an operation done from the front rules you out. So ask which approach your surgeon uses before anything else. Also, an open injury claim or workers compensation case excludes you, and so does thin bone.
- Placebo group: None. Everybody has the real operation with the real system.
- How long: Main check at six weeks, more at twelve, and safety tracked to ninety days.
- Clinic visits: About 4 in person, which are the planning visit, the surgery, then checks at six and twelve weeks.
- Phone calls: None published, though the 30 and 90 day safety checks may be done by phone.
- Most invasive part: The hip operation, plus three extra X ray views. So the added burden is imaging rather than anything surgical.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: Carolina Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center, Gastonia NC 28054.
- Drive from Charlotte: Gastonia is about 22 miles west, so roughly half an hour.
- Two questions decide this one. Which approach does your surgeon use, and is there any live injury claim. Either answer can close it in one sentence.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
For a Hip Replacement Being Redone
Medacta USA / Tracking study
This one is only for people whose old hip replacement is being replaced again. So it is the opposite of the first time hip study above. The team measures whether the new stem settles in the thigh bone, using X rays over two years. Nothing is assigned, and there is no dummy. The site is inside Charlotte.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: redo hip surgery is harder than the first one, and it is studied far less. Meanwhile, whether the new stem stays put is the question that decides how it goes.
Who this study is looking for
- Needing a redo of an existing hip replacement
- Also, receiving the stem this study follows
- Besides that, aged 21 to 80 at the time of surgery
- Finally, able to come back for the X ray checks
Probably not a fit if: a first hip replacement does not qualify here. So this is redo surgery only. Also, infection in or near the hip, and bone weakened by disease.
- Placebo group: None. Everybody gets the real part, because nothing is randomly assigned.
- How long: Two years of checks, at six weeks, six months, one year and two years.
- Clinic visits: About 6 in person, which are the planning visit, the surgery, then X rays at six weeks, six months, one year and two years. Notably, the windows are wide, up to six months either side at the end.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: The redo operation, plus repeated X rays. So the surgery is the part you were having anyway.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: OrthoCarolina Research Institute, Charlotte NC 28207.
- Drive from Charlotte: The site is in Charlotte, at OrthoCarolina.
- Call before you plan anything. The date this study listed for finishing has already passed, while the record still reads open. So confirm the site is still taking people.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
The Only Elbow Study Open Here
Zimmer Biomet / Tracking study
Elbows get almost no research attention, and this is the one exception near here. It follows an elbow replacement in people having that operation for damaged, painful joints. Everybody gets the real part, because there is only one group. However, it follows people for ten years, which is a long promise. The site is inside Charlotte.
Payment is not published.
Check eligibility →More details
Why researchers are excited: a worn or smashed elbow takes away almost everything you do with that arm. Meanwhile, elbow replacement is uncommon enough that long term numbers are thin.
Who this study is looking for
- A candidate for elbow replacement, first time or a redo
- Also, because of advanced arthritis, damage after injury, or a stiff or unstable joint
- Besides that, willing to keep up ten years of checks
- Finally, aged 18 or over
Probably not a fit if: heavy or twisting work with that arm rules you out. So manual trades and competitive sport are named exclusions here. Also, infection at the site, and nerve damage or a weak hand on the same side.
- Placebo group: None. There is one group, and everybody gets the real part.
- How long: Ten years, and the main measure is how many parts are still in place at that point.
- Clinic visits: Roughly 7 to 9 in person spread across ten years, each with X rays and scoring. But treat that as an estimate, because only the ten year point is published.
- Phone calls: None published.
- Most invasive part: The elbow replacement operation itself. So this is major surgery, chosen for clinical reasons rather than for the study.
- Setting: Outpatient.
- Where it runs: OrthoCarolina Research Institute, Charlotte NC 28207.
- Drive from Charlotte: The site is in Charlotte, at OrthoCarolina.
- Ten years is the real commitment. Ask what happens if you move away, and whether any of the later checks can be done closer to home.
- Full study record: View on ClinicalTrials.gov →
Not sure which one fits you?
First, answer a few quick health questions. Then we keep them on file. Finally, we tell you which studies near Charlotte you may fit. No account, no paperwork.
See if I may fit one of these studies →What Is Actually Changing in Joint Wear
Nothing yet stops the wear itself. So the real progress is in pain, in weight, and in how joints are replaced.
It Is Wear, Not the Immune Kind
This is the wear and tear kind, where the smooth surface in a joint thins over years. So it is not the immune kind, which attacks joints from the inside and often runs in the family. Meanwhile, the two get treated very differently and go to different studies. Notably, telling them apart is the first thing any clinic will do.
Your Grade Decides Which Studies Take You
X rays are scored from 1 to 4, from barely there to bone on bone. So that single number opens or closes most drug studies. Most want grade 2 or 3, which is the middle. In fact, one study here takes grade 4 as well, and that is unusual enough to be worth knowing.
Ask for Your Grade and Your Score
Two numbers do almost all the work at screening. One is the X ray grade. The other is a pain and function score, often called WOMAC. So ask your own doctor for both before you call anybody. Meanwhile, knowing them saves you a wasted trip.
Weight and the Knee Are Now One Question
Every pound off the body takes several pounds of load off a knee with each step. So the newer weight drugs are being tested for knee pain directly. Two such studies run near Charlotte, one as a weekly shot and one as a daily tablet. However, both rule out anyone with diabetes and anyone who has used these drugs before.
Movement Helps, and the Dose Is the Open Question
Being told to exercise a painful joint sounds unhelpful, and it is usually said badly. However, graded activity is one of the steadiest findings in this whole field. So how much is enough is exactly what the Columbia study is measuring. Notably, that study has no dummy group at all.
Hands, Thumbs and Shoulders Get Left Out
Almost every study picks a knee or a hip, and that leaves a lot of people with nothing. Nothing for the hand, thumb or shoulder is open in either metro today. So the walking study at Columbia is the only open option here that takes any joint. Meanwhile, the nearest option aimed at hands and shoulders runs near Raleigh.
Joint Replacement Studies Are a Different Animal
Four of the open studies near Charlotte are about surgery you were already having. So nobody is randomly assigned to an operation, and nobody gets a fake one. The research part is the follow up rather than the treatment. In fact, that makes them among the easier studies to say yes to, if surgery is already the plan.
The Approach Your Surgeon Uses Can Decide It
One hip study only fits if you are operated on lying on your side. So an operation done from the front closes that door immediately. Also, a live injury claim or a workers compensation case excludes you from the same study. Meanwhile, both questions get answered in about a minute on the phone.
Injections Bought Now Can Cost You Later
Gel, steroid and platelet injections all carry waiting periods before a study will take you. Three to six months is common, depending on which one you had. So if a study interests you, ask about the wait before booking another injection. Notably, this is the single most avoidable reason people get turned away.
Where Things Actually Stand Locally
Seven studies are open around Charlotte, covering knees, hips and one elbow. The Midlands has one, and it is the walking study, which takes any joint. So the picture is unusually lopsided between the two cities right now. However, the nearest knee injection study to Columbia is about two hours away at North Charleston.
Joint Wear Help Near You
Ask for your X ray grade and your pain score, because studies gate on both numbers. Also, ask about the wait after any injection before you book another one. Finally, if surgery is already planned, ask whether a tracking study fits, since those add very little. Meanwhile, join the list and we will call you when something new opens here.
Research Sites Near Charlotte
Queen City Clinical Research, OrthoCarolina and Carolina Orthopaedic all run joint studies in this area, with more at Statesville, Shelby and Gastonia. So there is real capacity here.
Atrium Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / 161+ active studies
Crohn’s, Heart Failure, COPD, Dementia, Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension
Charlotte’s biggest health system. It is tied to Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Also, it runs far more trials than anyone else nearby.
Visit Website →
American Health Research Network
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 25 to 30+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Type 2 Diabetes
Led by Dr. Selwyn Spangenthal. It is the biggest private lung research group in Charlotte. Specifically, it has 4 offices: Charlotte, Rock Hill, Lake Norman, and Charleston.
Visit Website →
Monroe Biomedical Research
Monroe, NC / 17+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Obesity, Ulcerative Colitis
Notably, one of the 5 busiest research sites in the country. Its 6,300 sq ft space can host overnight stays. It is also an SCRS Global Impact Partner.
Visit Website →
Clinical Research of Gastonia
Gastonia, NC / 11+ active studies
Asthma, COPD, Chronic Cough, Idiopathic Hypersomnia
Led by Dr. Anup Banerjee. Its 3,500 sq ft space sits next to CaroMont Regional Medical Center. Also, it has been running for over 10 years.
Visit Website →
OnSite Clinical Solutions
Ballantyne, NC 28277 / 10+ active studies
Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, COPD, Heart Failure, Atopic Dermatitis
It works with Charlotte doctors in heart, gut, skin, nerve, and joint care. Besides, it runs studies from Phase I through Phase IV.
Visit Website →
Flourish Research
Matthews, NC 28105 / 4+ active studies
Alzheimer’s Disease, Early Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s-Related Psychosis
Led by Dr. M. Reza Bolouri. He has 20+ years in Alzheimer’s research. The site is an Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence. In fact, its network has finished 5,500+ trials.
Visit Website →
New Hope Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 4+ active studies
Major Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder
Led by Dr. Kurian Abraham. It runs Phase I through IV studies and has 30 beds for overnight stays. Its last FDA audit came back clean. Also, it has finished 200+ brain studies.
Visit Website →
Queen City Clinical Research
SouthPark, NC 28211 / 2+ active studies
Chronic Pain, Chronic Migraine, Osteoarthritis
Led by Dr. Leonardo Kapural, a former Cleveland Clinic professor. Notably, he has written 200+ journal articles. On top of that, many call this the biggest pain research site in the country.
Visit Website →
Novant Health
Multiple Charlotte locations / Several active studies
Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Hypertension
One of the biggest health systems in the Carolinas. Its Heart and Vascular Institute runs heart studies and sees a lot of patients.
Visit Website →
DLVSC
4 Charlotte-area offices / 1+ active studies
Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea
Led by Dr. Gilly Munavalli. This award-winning skin practice owns 50+ FDA-approved lasers and devices. Also, it has its own research team.
Visit Website →
DelRicht Research
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar Depression
Part of a national network of mental health research sites. Currently, it runs the azetukalner bipolar depression trial in Charlotte. Previously, it ran other mental health studies.
Visit Website →
TMS of the Carolinas
South Charlotte, NC 28210 / 1+ active studies
Major Depression, Treatment-Resistant Depression
A specialty site for brain stimulation care. It runs the fast TMS study that packs 6 weeks into 2.
Visit Website →What to Expect in a Joint Study
New to studies? Here is how one works, step by step.
01
Prescreening
First comes a short phone call or online form. Also, it takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The staff check whether you might fit. Then they tell you what is open.
02
Screening Visit
Next the clinic runs the tests that decide it, which usually means blood work. Also, they go through the consent form line by line, and you can bring somebody with you.
03
Treatment Period
Then the study begins. So you take the study drug or the placebo on the agreed schedule. Meanwhile, your own doctor keeps managing everything else.
04
Follow-Up
Finally, there is a check in period at the end. Also, your own doctor gets the results, and you can stop at any point without affecting your care.
Osteoarthritis Trial FAQs
Real answers about joint studies near Charlotte NC.
Is there a study for this near Charlotte?
Yes, seven of them. Three are for the knee, including a single injection study inside Charlotte and two that pair knee pain with weight loss. Four more follow hip or elbow surgery you may already be having. However, nothing here is open for hands, thumbs or shoulders.
What is my X ray grade, and why does it matter?
It is a score from 1 to 4 read off an X ray, from barely visible to bone on bone. So that one number opens or closes most drug studies. Most want grade 2 or 3, which is the middle. Notably, one study here takes grade 4 as well, which is unusual and worth asking about if your knee is severe.
Is this the same as rheumatoid arthritis?
No, and they are treated completely differently. This is the wear kind, where the smooth surface in a joint thins over years. Meanwhile, the immune kind attacks the joint from the inside and often runs in families. So they go to different clinics and different studies, and telling them apart is the first thing anyone does.
Why do knee studies keep asking about my weight?
Because every pound off the body takes several pounds of load off a knee with each step. So the newer weight drugs are now being tested for knee pain directly. Two such studies run near Charlotte, one as a weekly shot and one as a daily tablet. However, both rule out anyone with diabetes and anyone who has used that drug class before.
I have arthritis in my hands. Is there anything?
Not in either city as a hand study, and we would rather say that plainly. However, the walking study at Columbia takes any joint, including hands, thumbs and shoulders. So it is the only open option here for those. Meanwhile, the nearest study aimed at hands and shoulders specifically runs near Raleigh, which is a long way.
Will I be put into surgery by a study?
No. Nobody is assigned to an operation and nobody receives a fake one. Four of the studies near Charlotte follow surgery that was already planned for clinical reasons. So the research part is the follow up rather than the treatment. In fact, that makes them among the easier studies to agree to, if an operation is already the plan.
I just had a steroid injection. Does that matter?
Yes, and this catches people constantly. Gel, steroid and platelet injections all carry a waiting period before a study will take you. Three months and six months are the two windows to know about. So ask about the wait before you book another one, because it is an avoidable reason to be turned away.
Does it cost anything to check?
No. There is no cost, and no insurance is needed. Tether is a nonprofit list, so we do not run studies and we are not paid to send you anywhere. Also, checking never enrolls anyone in anything. You would always call the clinic yourself.
Where can I get help near Charlotte?
Atrium Health and Novant Health both run joint services across the metro, and OrthoCarolina is a large specialist group here. Also, ask for your X ray grade and your pain score, because studies gate on both. Generally, your own doctor can order the X ray. Meanwhile, ask about graded activity, since it holds up better than most things in this field.
Ready to Explore a Study?
Check your eligibility, or just reach out to our Charlotte team. No pressure. Also, no sales pitch.
← Back to All Clinical TrialsSources
- A single knee injection study, inside Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07226258
- AMAZE 6, a weekly shot for weight and knee pain, at Statesville, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07509307
- A daily tablet for weight and knee pain, at Shelby, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07153471
- A first hip replacement tracking study, inside Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07104279
- Guidance software during hip surgery, at Gastonia, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06631638
- A redo hip replacement tracking study, inside Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05721859
- An elbow replacement tracking study, inside Charlotte, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02469662
- DREAM, a walking dose study at Columbia that takes any joint, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06880653
- MOTION, a knee injection study at North Charleston, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07219771
- A knee implant that reports data back, at Spartanburg, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06040827
- An artery treatment registry near Raleigh that includes hands and shoulders, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06477965
Study details and per-site recruiting status verified against ClinicalTrials.gov on August 17, 2026. Two studies that read as open were excluded after their local rows were read individually: one lists an Atrium Health Mercy site in Charlotte that has not opened yet, and one lists a Columbia SC site that is closed to new enrolment. Nothing for hand, thumb or shoulder arthritis is open in either metro; the walking study at Columbia is the only open option here that accepts those joints. One study listed above has a completion date that has already passed while its record still reads open, and that is noted on its card. Study availability and criteria change; the research clinic confirms everything before you enroll.