Walmart and Care Access Plan Three Additional Clinical Trial Centers to Expand Access to Medical Research

Building on four initial locations in Texas, Georgia, and Florida, planned expansion into additional communities across three states aims to bring research opportunities closer to where people live and shop.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Walmart Healthcare Research Institute (WHRI) and Care Access, a health and research company, today 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. The expansion builds on the recent opening of the partnership’s first four centers in Houston and Tyler, Texas; Dalton, Georgia; and Brandon, Florida bringing health screenings and clinical research opportunities into more familiar community settings.

• Houston, TX – Walmart Houston on Highway 6 S
• Tyler, TX – Walmart Tyler on State Highway 64 W
• Dalton, GA – Walmart Dalton on Shugart Rd
• Brandon, FL – Walmart Brandon on Causeway Blvd

Today, Walmart and Care Access celebrated this progress with a grand opening event at the Houston location, located at 3506 Highway 6 S. With the addition of new locations planned for next year, the partnership continues to grow its reach, bringing clinical research opportunities closer to more communities across the country.

For many people, traditional clinical research can mean finding a study site far from home or navigating unfamiliar processes. By bringing research information and services to locations within Walmart stores, the partnership aims to reduce some of those barriers and make opportunities easier to discover and explore.

The growing network of Clinical Trial Centers by Walmart and Care Access will support Phase 2, 3, and 4 clinical trials and help expand awareness of clinical research opportunities by bringing research information and services, and health screenings, into familiar community settings. Study offerings and eligibility vary by location.

“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. “For more than a decade, Care Access has developed the infrastructure, technology, and community relationships needed to bring clinical research directly to participants. Our collaboration with Walmart allows us to go one step further: helping clinical research become part of everyday life—visible, approachable, and integrated into the places and routines people already know and are comfortable with.”

At each of the Clinical Trial Centers, Care Access teams will provide a range of health and research-related services, including:

• Opportunities to participate in clinical trials conducted at the centers, including studies in cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, GLP-1 therapies, and more, depending on local study availability.
• Health screenings that assess important risk factors, including advanced biomarker blood testing, such as Lp(a) and other measures, as available.
• Tailored health education resources and one-on-one consultations to help individuals understand available clinical research opportunities and decide whether participation may be right for them.

Participation in clinical research is voluntary, and individuals are welcome to visit a location to learn more about available health screenings and research opportunities.

Care Access leads clinical operations at the Clinical Trial Centers, drawing on the experience and capabilities developed from its network of over 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.

“Expanding access to clinical research starts with making opportunities available in more communities,” said Emily Aaronson, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Walmart. “These additional locations build on the foundation we've established with Care Access and bring us closer to a future where more people, regardless of where they live, can learn about, and participate in, research that could improve health for themselves and for generations to come.”

Walmart’s commitment to expanding access to clinical research goes beyond opening new trial sites. Through nationwide outreach and recruitment efforts, the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute is also helping connect people to clinical trials already underway in their communities, bringing more opportunities to participate in medical innovation within reach of more Americans.

“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," said Michael Franklin, Vice President, Community-Based Research & Innovation, Eli Lilly and Company. "For years, we've been developing community-based approaches that bring screening and research opportunities closer to where people live. 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."

To learn more about the Clinical Trial Centers, screening availability, and research opportunities, visit https://careaccess.com/walmart.

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.

Through our Difference Makers program, we also support local leaders and organizations working to strengthen the health and wellbeing of their communities.

To learn more, visit CareAccess.com.

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. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart.

Care Access
Joseph Oh (media@careaccess.com)

Walmart
Walmart.com/Reporter