Walmart Healthcare Research Institute and Care Access to Open Three New Clinical Trial Centers in 2027
Walmart Healthcare Research Institute (WHRI) and Care Access have announced plans to expand their community-based clinical research partnership with the opening of three additional Clinical Trial Centers in the United States during the first half of 2027. The planned locations are Livonia, Michigan; Las Vegas, Nevada; and San Antonio, Texas. The expansion builds on the launch of the partnership’s first four centers in Texas, Georgia and Florida, bringing health screenings, clinical research information and opportunities to participate in clinical trials into familiar community settings.
The collaboration aims to make clinical research more accessible by establishing trial centers within Walmart locations, helping individuals learn about research opportunities closer to where they live and shop. By connecting clinical research services with an established retail presence, Walmart and Care Access intend to reduce some of the practical barriers that can prevent people from exploring or participating in medical studies.
The partnership’s initial four Clinical Trial Centers are located at Walmart stores in Houston and Tyler, Texas; Dalton, Georgia; and Brandon, Florida. The companies recently celebrated the progress of the initiative with a grand opening event at the Houston location at 3506 Highway 6 S.
The planned expansion in 2027 is expected to extend the network’s geographic reach and create additional opportunities for community members to learn about health screenings, clinical studies and research participation. The centers will support Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 clinical trials, with study availability and eligibility criteria varying by location.
Through the initiative, WHRI and Care Access are working to make clinical research easier to discover and understand while helping researchers reach broader populations. The effort also reflects a wider focus across the healthcare industry on improving representation in clinical trials and ensuring that research findings better reflect the needs and experiences of the communities that medical innovations are intended to serve.
Four Initial Clinical Trial Centers Establish the Foundation for Expansion
The Walmart and Care Access partnership has already opened four Clinical Trial Centers, creating the foundation for the next phase of its expansion.
The existing locations are:
- Houston, Texas: Walmart Houston on Highway 6 S.
- Tyler, Texas: Walmart Tyler on State Highway 64 W.
- Dalton, Georgia: Walmart Dalton on Shugart Road.
- Brandon, Florida: Walmart Brandon on Causeway Boulevard.
The Houston center hosted a grand opening event to mark the partnership’s progress and highlight the role of community-based locations in increasing awareness of clinical research.
The companies plan to add three more centers in Livonia, Las Vegas and San Antonio during the first half of 2027. These locations are expected to expand access to the partnership’s research services and provide more communities with opportunities to learn about available clinical trials and health screenings.
Traditional clinical research can be difficult for some people to navigate. Participants may need to travel considerable distances to reach a research facility, take time away from work or family responsibilities, or navigate unfamiliar procedures to determine whether they qualify for a study.
Locating Clinical Trial Centers within Walmart stores offers an alternative point of contact for people interested in learning more about medical research. The familiar retail environment may make it easier for individuals to encounter information about studies and speak with research staff without initially having to visit a dedicated research hospital or specialist facility.
The approach is designed to improve awareness and accessibility rather than guarantee that every visitor will qualify for a clinical trial. Study participation depends on the requirements of individual research protocols, and the trials available may differ among locations.
Clinical Trial Centers to Support Multiple Areas of Medical Research
The growing network will support Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 clinical trials across a range of therapeutic areas. Potential study opportunities may include cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies and other health conditions, depending on local research availability.
The different phases of clinical research serve distinct purposes.
Phase 2 trials generally evaluate a treatment’s preliminary efficacy and continue assessing its safety in people with the condition being studied. Phase 3 trials typically involve larger participant populations and are designed to provide additional evidence about a treatment’s benefits and risks. Phase 4 studies take place after a treatment has received regulatory approval and can help researchers gather additional information about its safety, effectiveness and use in broader populations.
By supporting studies across these phases, the Clinical Trial Centers could connect interested individuals with different types of research opportunities, depending on the participating studies and their eligibility requirements.
For people considering participation, the centers are intended to provide information about available studies and help them understand whether a particular opportunity may be appropriate. Qualified research staff can explain study requirements, relevant procedures and the steps involved in determining eligibility.
The companies have emphasised that participation in clinical research is voluntary. Individuals can visit a center to learn about available research and screening services without being required to enrol in a study.
This distinction is important because clinical trials have specific inclusion and exclusion criteria designed to protect participants and ensure that studies address their research objectives. Not every person who expresses interest will qualify for every trial, and availability depends on the studies operating at a particular location.
Health Screenings and Research Education to Help Individuals Explore Options
In addition to clinical trial opportunities, the centers will offer health screenings, educational resources and individual consultations.
Care Access teams will provide services designed to help individuals learn about relevant health measures and understand the research opportunities available in their communities.
The planned services include:
Clinical trial information and participation opportunities: Visitors can learn about studies conducted through the centers, including research in cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease and GLP-1 therapies when those studies are available locally. Research teams can provide information about the study process and help individuals understand potential eligibility requirements.
Health screenings: The centers will offer screenings to assess selected health risk factors. Depending on availability, these services may include advanced biomarker blood testing, including measurements of lipoprotein(a), commonly known as Lp(a), and other health-related indicators.
Lp(a) is a lipoprotein particle associated with cardiovascular risk. Its levels are largely influenced by genetics, and testing can help identify individuals with elevated concentrations. The availability of Lp(a) screening through the centers may provide another opportunity for people to learn about a cardiovascular risk marker that is not always included in routine cholesterol testing.
The availability and scope of screening services will depend on the location and applicable programme offerings. Screening results should be interpreted in the context of an individual’s overall health and discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional when further evaluation is needed.
Personalised health education and consultations: Visitors will have access to educational resources and one-on-one consultations to help them understand available research opportunities and decide whether participation may be suitable for them.
These services are intended to make clinical research more understandable and approachable. People who are unfamiliar with clinical trials may have questions about how studies work, what participation involves, what information researchers collect and how eligibility is determined.
Providing opportunities to discuss these questions directly with research staff may help individuals make informed decisions about whether to explore a particular study.
The centers’ health screening services and clinical trial offerings are not necessarily identical across all locations. Individuals are encouraged to review the available services for their local center before making plans to participate.
Care Access Brings Clinical Research Infrastructure and Operational Experience
Care Access, a health and research company, will lead clinical operations at the Clinical Trial Centers. The organisation brings experience from a network of more than 200 clinical research sites worldwide and its global Future of Medicine community health screening programme.
Its responsibilities within the partnership include operating the centers and supporting research-related activities, including the delivery of available screenings and clinical trial services.
The company’s existing research infrastructure and community relationships are intended to support the expansion of research opportunities into settings that people already know and visit.
Ahmad Namvargolian, CEO and Co-Founder of Care Access, described the opening of the centers as an important step towards making clinical research more accessible.
“Opening these locations is an important step in advancing our mission to make clinical research accessible to all,” Namvargolian said.
He noted that Care Access has spent more than a decade developing the infrastructure, technology and community relationships required to bring clinical research directly to participants.
According to Namvargolian, the Walmart collaboration creates an opportunity to make research more visible and approachable by integrating information and services into familiar community locations.
The partnership combines Care Access’s clinical research capabilities with Walmart’s established retail footprint. This model is intended to make research opportunities easier to discover while helping researchers engage with people who might not otherwise seek out a clinical research facility.
Although the model may reduce certain access barriers, participation will continue to depend on factors such as study availability, eligibility criteria, informed consent and the practical requirements of individual trials.
Walmart Highlights the Importance of Community-Based Research Access
The Walmart Healthcare Research Institute supports efforts to increase awareness of clinical research and connect individuals with opportunities to participate in studies.
Through the partnership, WHRI aims to use Walmart’s presence in communities across the United States to make information about medical research more accessible to a broader population.
Emily Aaronson, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Walmart, said expanding the network reflects the importance of bringing research opportunities into more communities.
“Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities,” Aaronson said.
She added that the new locations build on the foundation established through the collaboration with Care Access and support a future in which more people can learn about and potentially participate in research that may improve health outcomes.
Walmart’s involvement extends beyond hosting physical Clinical Trial Centers. Through nationwide outreach and recruitment initiatives, WHRI is also helping connect individuals with clinical trials already underway in their communities.
These efforts may allow interested people to discover research opportunities outside the new centers and learn about studies that are being conducted at other participating locations.
The broader strategy recognises that access to clinical research involves more than the physical availability of a study site. Awareness, education, recruitment and an understanding of the participation process can all influence whether individuals consider joining a clinical trial.
By combining community-based locations with outreach initiatives, Walmart aims to help connect more people with the research process and the development of future medical treatments.
Eli Lilly Supports Efforts to Broaden Clinical Trial Participation
Eli Lilly and Company is also participating in the broader effort to expand community-based clinical research, with studies enrolling through the centers.
Michael Franklin, Vice President of Community-Based Research and Innovation at Eli Lilly and Company, highlighted the importance of including participants with diverse backgrounds, experiences and health needs in medical research.
“Expanding access to clinical research has long been a priority for Lilly because the future of medicine depends on participation from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and health needs,” Franklin said.
He noted that Lilly has been developing community-based approaches to bring screening and research opportunities closer to where people live.
Franklin said the opportunity to engage individuals through the Walmart and Care Access centers could help researchers reach people who might not otherwise participate in clinical trials, improve representation and generate evidence that reflects the patients and communities the company aims to serve.
Representation in clinical research is an important consideration because study populations influence the evidence available to evaluate treatments. Differences in age, sex, health status, socioeconomic circumstances and other characteristics can affect how broadly trial findings apply to patients in routine clinical practice.
When certain communities are underrepresented, researchers may have less information about how treatments perform across the full range of people who could ultimately use them.
Community-based research initiatives are intended to broaden awareness and create additional routes for interested individuals to learn about studies. However, achieving representative enrolment also requires attention to eligibility criteria, recruitment practices, participant support and the practical demands of study participation.
The involvement of pharmaceutical companies in research conducted through community-based networks may help connect clinical development programmes with potential participants, subject to each study’s protocol and applicable ethical and regulatory requirements.
Voluntary Participation and Study Eligibility Remain Central
Walmart and Care Access have emphasised that participation in clinical research is voluntary. Individuals can visit the centers to learn about health screenings and available studies without committing to participate.
People who express interest in a clinical trial will need to meet the eligibility requirements established for that study. These requirements may include factors such as age, medical history, current health status, previous treatments and other protocol-specific criteria.
Before enrolling, prospective participants should receive information about the study and its procedures so they can make an informed decision. Clinical trial participation may involve scheduled visits, health assessments, laboratory testing, questionnaires or other requirements depending on the research protocol.
The centers’ educational and consultation services are intended to help individuals understand these considerations and explore the options available to them.
Health screenings can also provide information about selected risk factors, but they do not replace comprehensive medical care or establish eligibility for every clinical trial. Individuals with questions about screening results or potential health concerns may need to consult their usual healthcare provider.
Expansion Planned for the First Half of 2027
The planned opening of new Clinical Trial Centers in Livonia, Las Vegas and San Antonio during the first half of 2027 will extend the partnership beyond its initial four locations.
The expansion reflects the companies’ continued effort to make research opportunities easier to discover through community-based services. By establishing centers within Walmart stores, the partnership aims to reduce some of the geographic and informational barriers associated with traditional research participation.
The initiative also creates a platform for continued collaboration among clinical research organisations, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies and community-facing businesses.
As the network grows, the range of available studies and screening services will depend on local research programmes, participating sponsors and individual trial requirements.
People seeking further information about the centers, screening availability and clinical trial opportunities can visit the official programme website at Care Access and Walmart Clinical Trial Centers.
Strengthening Community Connections to Medical Research
The expansion of the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute and Care Access partnership represents an effort to bring clinical research closer to everyday community life. With four initial centers operating in Texas, Georgia and Florida and three additional locations planned for 2027, the collaboration aims to increase awareness of research opportunities and provide more accessible entry points for interested individuals.
The centers will combine clinical trial opportunities with health screenings, biomarker testing where available, educational resources and individual consultations. Their programmes will support Phase 2, Phase 3 and Phase 4 studies across multiple areas of medicine, subject to local availability and participant eligibility.
Care Access will lead clinical operations, while WHRI will help connect research expertise with Walmart’s community presence and nationwide outreach capabilities. Eli Lilly’s participation in studies enrolling through the centers further illustrates the role that pharmaceutical research programmes can play in community-based clinical development.
Ultimately, the partnership seeks to make clinical research more visible, understandable and accessible while helping researchers engage a wider range of potential participants. The success of this approach will depend on continued community engagement, appropriate study recruitment, participant protections and the availability of relevant clinical trials.
As the new locations come online in 2027, the initiative is expected to create additional opportunities for people to learn about medical research and consider whether participating in a clinical trial is right for them.
About Care Access
Care Access is the front door to clinical research, for people and for the organizations developing the future of medicine. We make research more visible, approachable, and integrated to the communities and everyday settings people already know and are comfortable with.
Through our Future of Medicine program, people can receive no-cost health screenings, learn about clinical research, and explore opportunities to participate. When someone is interested in joining a study, we help identify potentially appropriate clinical trials and connect them with the investigators and research sites conducting them.
For sponsors, CROs, and research sites, Care Access provides a vital connection to the communities whose participation makes clinical research possible. Our community presence and engagement capabilities help studies enroll more efficiently and expand the industry’s capacity to conduct research. We also support study delivery through more than 200 research sites worldwide, hundreds of traveling clinicians, a fleet of over 150 mobile health clinics, and purpose-built technology and workforce solutions including Peter the Protocol Reader, StudyTeam by Care Access, centralized virtual clinical staff, and on-site staffing support.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (Nasdaq: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 280 million customers and members visit more than 10,900 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2026 revenue of $713 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity.