The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery moves medicine forward with new ideas and well-developed research. New medical treatments must prove to be safe and effective for a certain number of patients and must be published in scientific journals before they can be made widely available. Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate these new drugs, devices and treatments to determine whether they are beneficial, safe and efficient. Researchers in the UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery actively participate in several clinical trials across multiple specialties. The department's goal is to quickly translate these research findings into clinical care that benefits all patients.