Walmart and Care Access plan three more Clinical Trial Centers in Michigan, Nevada, and Texas. The planned sites in Livonia, Las Vegas, and San Antonio would expand a partnership that places clinical research and health screenings inside Walmart stores. "Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities." The Walmart Healthcare Research Institute (WHRI) and Care Access, a health and research company, announced plans to open three additional Clinical Trial Centers in Livonia, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; and San Antonio, Texas, in the first half of 2027.[1] The expansion builds on the partnership's first four centers, in Houston and Tyler, Texas; Dalton, Georgia; and Brandon, Florida. Walmart and Care Access marked the progress with a grand opening event at the Houston location. The announcement framed the model as a response to a common hurdle: traditional clinical research can mean finding a study site far from home or navigating unfamiliar processes. What the centers offer. The centers will support Phase II, III, and IV clinical trials, according to the announcement. Care Access teams will offer opportunities to take part in trials, with cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and GLP-1 therapies among the areas named, depending on local study availability. They will also provide health screenings, including advanced biomarker blood testing as available, along with tailored health education and one-on-one consultations about research opportunities. Study offerings and eligibility vary by location. Care Access leads clinical operations at the centers, drawing on a network of more than 200 clinical research sites around the world and its global Future of Medicine community health screening program. WHRI supports research awareness and accessibility by connecting that expertise with Walmart's community presence and reach. Participation is voluntary, and individuals are welcome to visit a location to learn more about available screenings and research opportunities. "Opening these locations is an important step in advancing our mission to make clinical research accessible to all," said Ahmad Namvargolian, CEO and co-founder of Care Access, in the announcement. For Walmart, the focus is on reach. "Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities," added Emily Aaronson, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at Walmart. Walmart's commitment goes beyond opening new trial sites. Through nationwide outreach and recruitment efforts, WHRI is also helping connect people to clinical trials already underway in their communities. Eli Lilly and Company also weighed in. "With studies enrolling through these centers, we're encouraged by the opportunity to engage people who may not otherwise participate, improve representation and generate evidence that reflects the patients and communities we hope to serve," said Michael Franklin, vice president, community-based research and innovation, Eli Lilly and Company. Where the partnership started. Walmart officially unveiled this partnership earlier in April. The announcement said the centers would sit at the front of Walmart stores, where many customers pass by as part of their daily routines, and that the first locations would focus on heart and brain health at launch.[2] WHRI was created to expand access to clinical trials and research and help improve care for underserved communities, the original announcement said, noting that many individuals have been excluded from research because of barriers like distance, time, and cost. "For many, taking part in clinical research has never been about willingness, it has been about access. Distance, time and awareness have made participation feel out of reach," Aaronson said in the April press release.

Walmart plans three more clinical trial centers. Walmart and Care Access announced plans Oct. 27, 2026, to open three additional clinical trial centers in Livonia, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; and San Antonio, Texas, during the first half of 2027. The expansion will increase their joint research network from four to seven locations, with facilities offering health screenings and opportunities to participate in Phase 2, 3 and 4 clinical studies. The expansion has implications for pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organizations and healthcare providers seeking to recruit participants outside traditional research settings. By locating research facilities inside Walmart stores, the companies aim to reduce geographic and logistical barriers to participation. The initiative also reflects growing interest in community-based approaches to clinical research recruitment and patient engagement. Clinical trial centers expand across three states. According to the Walmart expansion announcement, the three new facilities will operate within existing Walmart stores in Michigan, Nevada and Texas. Walmart Healthcare Research Institute and Care Access expect to open the locations during the first six months of 2027. The companies did not disclose construction costs, staffing investments or individual opening dates. The announcement follows the opening of four initial research locations in Houston and Tyler, Texas; Dalton, Georgia; and Brandon, Florida. Walmart and Care Access marked the expansion with an Oct. 27 event at the Houston facility, located at 3506 Highway 6 South. The partnership was initially announced in January 2026. The planned locations include: * Livonia, Michigan - scheduled for the first half of 2027. * Las Vegas, Nevada - scheduled for the first half of 2027. * San Antonio, Texas - scheduled for the first half of 2027. The facilities will operate inside Walmart retail locations rather than conventional hospital-based research centers. Care Access will manage clinical operations, while Walmart Healthcare Research Institute will support awareness and access through the retailer's community presence. The companies said study availability and participant eligibility will vary by location. Research services include screening and education. The expanded network will support Phase 2, 3 and 4 clinical studies, according to Walmart. These research phases examine different aspects of medical interventions, including effectiveness, safety and outcomes following regulatory approval. The participating companies have not disclosed the number of studies expected at each new location. Care Access said the facilities will offer opportunities related to cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease and GLP-1 therapies, depending on local research availability. Visitors may also receive health screenings assessing selected risk factors. Available services can include advanced biomarker blood testing, including lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), measurements. The centers will provide educational resources and individual consultations to help visitors understand available research opportunities. According to Care Access, participation is voluntary, and individuals can visit a facility without committing to a clinical study. Enrollment will depend on study-specific requirements and the availability of appropriate research programs. The clinical trial centers are intended to connect interested individuals with research conducted in accessible community settings. Care Access operates more than 200 clinical research sites worldwide and uses traveling clinicians and mobile health units to support studies. The Walmart collaboration adds retail-based facilities to that existing research infrastructure. Partnership targets clinical research access barriers. Walmart and Care Access identified distance, limited awareness and unfamiliar research processes as barriers that can discourage clinical trial participation. Their collaboration places study information and screening services in retail environments regularly visited by local residents. The companies expect this approach to make research opportunities easier to discover. "Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities," said Emily Aaronson, MD, chief medical officer at Walmart, in the October announcement. Aaronson said the additional locations build on the partnership's existing research network and support efforts to reach individuals who may not otherwise explore clinical study opportunities. Care Access CEO and co-founder Ahmad Namvargolian said the partnership builds on the company's existing research infrastructure and community relationships. Walmart's retail presence provides another channel for connecting potential participants with studies. However, neither organization disclosed enrollment targets or comparative data showing that the retail model improves recruitment rates. Eli Lilly is among the pharmaceutical companies supporting community-based research initiatives. Michael Franklin, the company's vice president of Community-Based Research and Innovation, said broader participation is important for generating evidence across different populations. According to Walmart's announcement, studies are enrolling through the centers, although specific trial protocols and enrollment figures were not provided. What comes next. Walmart and Care Access plan to open their three additional facilities by mid-2027, bringing the partnership's total to seven locations across five states. The companies have not announced further locations beyond the current expansion. Additional information about screening availability and participating studies will be provided through Care Access. Walmart Healthcare Research Institute will also continue nationwide outreach and recruitment activities intended to connect individuals with clinical studies already operating in their communities. This work extends beyond the retailer's physical research locations. Care Access will remain responsible for clinical operations at the jointly developed facilities. For pharmaceutical sponsors and research organizations, the expansion provides another potential recruitment channel for studies requiring broader community participation. Its effectiveness will depend on participant enrollment, retention, study completion and the operational performance of the retail-based sites. The companies have not reported comparative recruitment outcomes or financial results from the initial four facilities. The planned clinical trial centers represent a continued investment in moving selected research activities closer to where potential participants live and shop. Future reporting on enrollment, patient participation and operational performance will help determine whether the model reduces barriers to clinical research. For healthcare executives, the expansion offers an example of how retail infrastructure can be incorporated into medical research delivery without replacing traditional research institutions.