The Supply of Clinical Trial Sites: Openings, Closings, and Longevity

Clinical trial sites are central to the conduct of pharmaceutical studies, typically involving at least one—and often several—physical locations. Yet despite their importance, little is known about the overall life cycle and macro-level supply of these sites.

This report utilizes all US-based clinical trial sites involved in Phase 1–4 pharmaceutical studies conducted between 2017 and 2024. It documents the frequency of new site openings, the rate of site closures, and the duration of site operations (site longevity). The report also examines which site and trial characteristics are correlated with longer site longevity.

We present the first-ever look at the macro-level dynamics of the supply of clinical trial sites.