Clinical trials in depression are ongoing at major research universities, teaching hospitals, and other institutions. Be patient if you are interested in joining one or more of these studies, as it may take time to find the study that will be of most benefit to you. In addition to the following suggested organizations, check with your physician and local or regional hospital, to see what is available close to home. Many studies require that you be able to travel to their site. This can be difficult if you have job and family responsibilities that keep you close to home. You will receive compensation for your participation, but these amounts vary from organization to organization. Whatever compensation you receive won't match the income from your regular job, that's for sure!

The Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic has locations in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota. It is actively involved in researching depression, particularly depression that relates to other medical problems, psychiatric disorders, or addictions. The results of one study at the Mayo Clinic was a blood test that shows at what rate a person metabolizes a specific drug, including antidepressants. A person who metabolizes the antidepressant slowly may experience side effects or toxicity, while a person who metabolizes the drug quickly may not receive any benefit from it, before it's eliminated from the system. The test is called the cytochrome P450 test. Clinical studies are ongoing at the Mayo Clinic, and volunteers are always being recruited. Go to www.mayoclinic.com to learn more about participating in a Mayo Clinic study.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) supports the efforts of scientists and clinicians to develop new and more effective treatments for mood disorders. DBSA has a sixty-seven member advisory board that recommends and advises on specific research activities. This is an extensive site that provides a variety of opportunities to participate in clinical trials for depression. Go to www.dbsalliance.org.

Depression and ClinicalTrials.gov

ClinicalTrials.gov is the clearinghouse for the NIH. It provides an exhaustive list of ongoing clinical trials and studies that are actively recruiting volunteers. You will type in your condition (depression) and a city (somewhere close to where you live) and you will pull up literally hundreds of opportunities for participating. Go to www.clinicaltrials.gov.