Clinical Research
Advancing medicine through ethical, community-centered research — designed to benefit the patients and populations we serve, first.
About This Service
Research that puts patients first
Modern medicine moves forward on the back of clinical research. New treatments, better diagnostic tools, and the evidence that defines the standard of care all come from carefully designed studies conducted in partnership with patients. But that progress has historically been uneven — with some communities, particularly Native American communities, underrepresented in or harmed by the research enterprise.
Natives United Clinical Research is being built to close that gap responsibly. Our program is designed to advance science while putting the safety, dignity, and autonomy of every participant first. Studies are reviewed for ethical rigor, scientific value, and direct relevance to the populations we serve.
Our research priorities
- Addiction medicine. New approaches to withdrawal management, medication-assisted treatment, and long-term recovery.
- Behavioral health. Studies advancing care for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and co-occurring disorders.
- Chronic disease. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other conditions that disproportionately affect our region.
- Health equity. Research that examines and addresses disparities in access, outcomes, and quality of care.
- Community-engaged studies. Research designed in partnership with the communities it intends to serve.
Ethical standards
Every study conducted at Natives United is reviewed by an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB), informed by community input, and conducted according to the highest standards of research ethics. Participation is always voluntary. Informed consent is meaningful, not procedural. And we never enroll patients in studies that do not have a credible path to benefiting them or their community.
Participating in research
If you are interested in learning about open studies once our research program is active, you'll be able to find study listings, eligibility criteria, and contact information here. Patients are never enrolled in research without their explicit, informed consent — and choosing not to participate will never affect the standard care you receive.
Our approach
Good research is not extractive. It's a partnership. We are committed to a model where the knowledge generated within our walls flows back to the patients and communities who made it possible — in the form of better treatments, clearer answers, and meaningful improvements in care.