CCMC provides tertiary and quaternary services in more than 35 specialty areas including nationally recognized programs for Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care, Trauma, Hematology/Oncology, Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Pulmonology. The Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation Program is the largest pediatric transplant program in the state of Texas and southern United States. The Heart Center has one of the largest cardiac surgery volumes in Texas.

CCHCS strives to promote the health and well being of children and families in North Central Texas. This effort is enhanced by facilitating children's' access to leading clinical research opportunities. Since 1982, clinical therapeutic research has been conducted primarily in the Hematology/Oncology division in collaboration with the Children's Oncology group. However, in recent years a growing trend toward clinical research participation has developed throughout most CCHCS primary care and specialty sections.

Trials have been conducted with the following industry sponsors:

• AAIPharma
• Abbott Laboratories
• ADMA Biologics
• AGA Medical Corporation
• Alcon
• AstraZeneca
• Bayer
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Cangene Corporation
• Cubist Pharmaceuticals
• Eli Lily
• Genentech
• Gentium, S.P.A.
• GlaxoSmithKline
• King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development, Inc.
• Medtronic
• Merck
• Novartis Pharmaceutical
• Ovation Pharmaceuticals
• Pfizer
• Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals
• Protherics, Inc.
• Roche Laboratories
• Sanofi Pasteur
• Sanofi Aventis
• Schering-Plough
• Tibotec Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
• UCB Pharmaceutical Inc

Cook Children's Physician Network is the largest pediatric physician network in North Texas with approximately 250 physicians. The network includes pediatric specialists and primary care physicians with a varying degree of research experience.

The Research Operations Department offers an initial point of contact for sponsors seeking study placement and assistance with matching protocols with potential investigators.

Some therapeutic areas at CCMC have research staff dedicated to that area. However, clinical research coordinators are also available via the Research Operations Department (Research Administration Office) on a fee-for-service basis to provide support for research activities in all CCHCS inpatient and outpatient facilities and local community PCP offices. Research Operations services include initial study placement procedures, review and negotiation of trial budgets, preparation of IRB submission documents, assistance with recruitment of study patients, and completion of protocol requirements as delegated by the Investigator. The Research Operations Department coordinators are encouraged to obtain certification.

CCMC provides comprehensive health care services to children between the ages of 0 to 18 years. The CCHCS referral area encompasses over 100,000 square miles in a 110-county area in north central and west Texas. This vast geographic area is home to more than 1.2 million children under the age of 15. In fiscal year 2003, CCHCS and CCMC recorded nearly 300,000 patient visits and over 8,000 hospital admissions. The demographics of the pediatric population served was widely variable, including approximately 14% African-American, 1% Asian, <1% American Indian, 56% Caucasian, and 24% Hispanic. A total of 45% of Cook Children's patients were female and 55% were males.

Cardiology/Vascular Diseases
Hematology
Immunology/Infectious Diseases
Nephrology/Urology
Neurology
Oncology
Pediatrics/Neonatology
Pulmonary/Respiratory Diseases