Walmart, Care Access to expand in-store clinical trial centers
Walmart Inc. is expanding an initiative designed to give more people access to clinical trials.
The Walmart Healthcare Research and health and research company Care Access plan to open three more Clinical Trial Centers in Walmart stores. The expansion builds on the recent opening of the partnership’s first four centers in Houston and Tyler, Texas; Dalton, Ga.; and Brandon, Fla.
Three additional centers are scheduled to open in the first half 2027. The locations include Livonia, Mich.; Las Vegas; and San Antonio, Texas.
The centers provide a range of health and research-related services, including opportunities to participate in clinical trials conducted at the center, including studies in cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and more. (Study offerings and eligibility vary by location.)
In addition, the centers offer health screenings that assess important risk factors. They also provide one-on-one consultations on clinical research options.
“Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities,” said Emily Aaronson, M.D., MPH, chief medical officer at Walmart. “These additional locations build on the foundation we've established with Care Access and bring us closer to a future where more people, regardless of where they live, can learn about, and participate in, research that could improve health for themselves and for generations to come.”
Walmart noted that its commitment to expanding access to clinical research goes beyond opening new trial sites.
“Through nationwide outreach and recruitment efforts, the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute is also helping connect people to clinical trials already underway in their communities, bringing more opportunities to participate in medical innovation within reach of more Americans,” the company said.
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Care Access leads clinical operations at the centers, drawing on the experience and capabilities developed from its network of over 200 clinical research sites around the world and its global community health screening program. Walmart Health Research Insititute supports research awareness and accessibility by connecting that expertise with Walmart’s community presence and reach.
