Clinical Trial Modernization Act
Key claim: The Clinical Trial Modernization Act would authorize grants for clinical trial outreach to underrepresented communities, exempt participant expense reimbursements and digital health tools from anti-kickback laws, and exclude up to $2,000 in trial compensation from federal income tax.
Abstract
(S4440 · 119th Congress) Clinical Trial Modernization Act This bill authorizes a grant program and provides certain exemptions to support the participation of individuals in clinical trials. Specifically, the bill authorizes a grant program to support outreach, education, and recruitment efforts for clinical trials that may benefit certain underrepresented populations or communities in need, such as rural or tribal areas. The bill also exempts from anti-kickback laws for federal health care programs (1) remuneration that is offered to cover participants’ expenses to participate in clinical trials, (2) the provision of free digital health technologies to support participation of underrepresented populations in clinical trials, and (3) payment for participants’ cost-sharing obligations in relation to clinical trials. Finally, the bill exempts up to $2,000 in remuneration that is received for participating in a clinical trial from income tax. Latest action (2026-04-29): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Why this matters
The bill uses the tax code as one lever in a broader access-to-clinical-trials package, treating up to $2,000 of participant compensation as non-taxable to reduce the effective cost of participation for lower- and middle-income enrollees. In tax-policy terms it is a narrow, uncapped-at-source income exclusion with no specified offset, benefiting trial participants without an identified revenue raiser.