Clinical studies are the bridge between basic research and clinical application in diagnostics and therapy. Since this involves studies on and with humans, this area is extremely strictly controlled and regulated in Germany. For the six DZG, clinical trials are a focal point. The DZGs unite almost all university hospitals in Germany in their network. A large proportion of the studies conducted are multicenter.

The working group Regulatory Aspects of Clinical Trials aims to identify opportunities, but also obstacles in this process in order to make clinical research both safer and more successful. The working group therefore cooperates with the most important institutions in Germany in the regulation of clinical research, namely the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection and the Working Group of Medical Ethics Committees, an association of 52 ethics committees. The focus is on the protection of patients as well as the early inclusion of regulatory requirements in study planning and the more efficient use of data and samples.