UM Health-Sparrow Clinical Trials

Our extensive clinical trials give you new hope

The Herbert-Herman Cancer Center offers the largest set of clinical trial programs in the region. We are proud to be one of the only regional programs accepting Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 clinical trials, treating all types of cancer and cancer stages. More than 1,200 UM Health-Sparrow patients have enrolled in clinical trials at the Herbert-Herman Cancer Center, and receive highly specialized care from clinicians. These patients are among the first to benefit from new cancer treatments. 

There are clinical trials for breast cancer, lung cancer, genitourinary cancer, hematological cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, and other rare cancers. These rigorous trials identify drugs that work to stop cancer and treat the cancer patient.

Our team is dedicated to advancing cancer treatment and bringing you world-class cancer care. Through our clinical trial program, our patients get the top-ranked, multidisciplinary cancer treatment they need while helping to establish new and exciting standards in cancer care. The cancer center is part of a consortium of cancer centers in the state of Michigan with access to a wide variety of clinical trials sponsored by government organizations such as the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. 

Pioneering and personalized

UM Health-Sparrow was the first community-based hospital in the country to launch the Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) in collaboration with the Massachusetts-based genomics company Foundation One Medicine. The MTB concept has now expanded to more than 100 community hospitals across the country. 

UM Health-Sparrow is one of the most successful hospitals in the country at registering patients for the TAPUR study, a unique clinical trial that uses gene sequencing test results to match patients to a targeted cancer drug. The trial is aimed at attacking cancer at the molecular genetic level of a tumor and could lead to new standard care protocols for all patients for years to come. It represents a personalized medicine approach that is increasingly used to provide care for individuals and their unique specific needs. Michigan was one of the first states in the country to participate in the trial, the first organized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

UM Health-Sparrow Clinical Research Institute

UM Health-Sparrow joined forces with the Thoracic & Cardiovascular Healthcare Foundation (TCHF) in 2012 to create the UM Health-Sparrow Clinical Research Institute (SCRI).

TCHF, founded in June 1992 as a non-profit medical research foundation, did clinical research in cardiology, electrophysiology and cardiovascular surgery. The formation of SCRI allowed us to expand our research program to include more investigators and new medical specialties. We have conducted over 375 clinical trials and are actively recruiting new ventures.

We are also members of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, members of Society of Clinical Research sites, certified in transportation of dangerous materials and have completed NIH and CITI research ethics training. We have worked with over 175 sponsors and clinical research organizations. Our clinical research coordinators are registered nurses and certified in clinical research and we have regulatory staff and data coordinators that work closely with our research coordinator staff.