How can I find all trials registered for a drug before writing a grant's background section?

Search ClinicalTrials.gov by combining the drug as an intervention with the condition as a separate field, then filter the result set by recruitment status and study dates, and repeat the search in the WHO ICTRP portal to capture records from registries beyond ClinicalTrials.gov. ClinicalTrials.gov lets users search registered studies and filter records by condition, intervention, location, status, study type, dates, and other study fields, so the drug and condition can be entered as distinct search terms instead of one free-text string.

1. Enter the drug name in the intervention field and the target condition in the condition field. Keeping them separate prevents the search from returning trials that mention the drug only in passing or studies of the condition that test unrelated agents. Expected result: a candidate set of trials that pair this drug with this condition.
2. Apply status filters to match what your background section needs. If you are describing the current evidence base, restrict to active or completed studies; if you are also mapping the pipeline, include recruiting and not-yet-recruiting records. Expected result: a set that reflects either established or in-progress research, depending on your framing.
3. Apply date filters to bound the period your background covers. Expected result: a trial list aligned with the time window your grant narrative addresses.
4. Review the structured fields for each record, including study identification, status, design, eligibility, locations, outcomes, and reported results, as defined in the ClinicalTrials.gov data element definitions. Expected result: you can distinguish trials with posted results from those known only through registration.
5. Repeat the drug-and-condition search in the WHO ICTRP Search Portal, which provides a single access point for records supplied by participating clinical-trial registries. Expected result: additional registrations that do not appear in ClinicalTrials.gov, which you can then reconcile against your list.

Record the search terms, filters, and date of each search so the background section's trial coverage can be reproduced. Where a trial appears in more than one registry, match records on registration identifiers and sponsor details before counting them separately.