Modernizing critical federal health applications—without disrupting public access
How ICF’s multidisciplinary team helped the NIH modernize ClinicalTrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov is the world’s largest public clinical research registry and results database, connecting patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, researchers, and trial sponsors to essential information. Together with the Protocol Registration and Results System (PRS)—a portal through which researchers submit trial data—the platforms receive more than 4.5 million visits each month.
The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Library of Medicine (NLM), which manages both systems, partnered with ICF to modernize the applications while minimizing disruption to a mission‑critical public resource.
Challenge
The legacy ClinicalTrials.gov and PRS applications required a full modernization to ensure they could sustainably serve the clinical research community and the public for decades to come. At the same time, any changes needed to be implemented without disrupting access to widely used, high‑visibility platforms.
NLM tasked ICF with:
- Modernizing both applications using cloud‑native technology
- Providing a seamless user experience
- Improving workflows for data submitters and reviewers
- Incorporating AI where possible to reduce backlogs
- Managing complex stakeholder relationships
Solution
- Artificial intelligence
- Cloud
- Digital modernization
- Human-centered design
ICF assembled a multidisciplinary team spanning user research, AI engineering, and content development to modernize both legacy applications. Drawing on human‑centered design, product management, and Agile development practices, our team introduced new functionality incrementally deploying modules alongside legacy systems and phasing out older components over time to ensure a smooth transition for users.
Throughout the partnership, we fostered clear communication and close collaboration in a multi‑vendor environment. Performance and resource usage were monitored continuously to meet client benchmarks for efficiency and cost.
Building on prior experience supporting ClinicalTrials.gov and related NLM data programs, we were able to integrate the modernization work smoothly while managing risk across a complex, mission‑critical environment.
Results
The modernized ClinicalTrials.gov and PRS applications are now cloud‑based, modular, secure, and easier to maintain. Both platforms are well documented, supporting long‑term sustainability and ongoing enhancement.
The updated ClinicalTrials.gov public website features clearer plain‑language content, improved search functionality, and more intuitive clinical study pages. The site is also fully optimized for mobile devices.
The modernized PRS application includes simplified navigation and data‑entry screens, contextual guidance for users, and an AI‑assisted experience for reviewers.
Early feedback on both applications has been overwhelmingly positive. One beta user highlighted the impact of the team’s responsiveness during testing:
“Usually, you leave feedback and you never get a response. [The team’s responsiveness] makes you feel more connected, kind of feel more loyal to the system.”
