One of the biggest misconceptions about clinical trials is that very little research is being done, according to Richard Bedlack, M.D., of Duke University Medical School. Dr. Bedlack says he is aware of approximately three dozen drugs for ALS alone that are likely to be tested in the near future.

According to the 2007 Outlook Report from Tufts University's Center for the Study of Drug Development, the number of new drugs entering clinical testing by the top 10 pharmaceutical firms increased by more than 50 percent between 1998 to 2002 and 2003 to 2005.

Want to learn more about trials worth investigating? Be sure to ask your doctor for his or her recommendations and check out the following Web sites for more information:

Stroke website" href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): NINDS has a clinical trials page that lets you search a database of trials by disease/condition.

ClinicalTrials.gov : A site sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, developed by the National Library of Medicine. Search for trials by disease/condition, treatment, location or sponsor.

cancer.gov:  Insurance Coverage resource guide from the National Cancer Institute.