Should clinical trial volunteers be paid?

Question

Piggybacking off the trial post below.
What's your opinion on pharmaceutical companies offering a financial incentive to participate in clinical trials of any kind?
Currently, there are some trials that pay out a fixed sum after completion, this can range from a few hundred, to a few thousand per person.
Other trials only reimburse you for travel, lost wages (if applicable) and any other expense that is a direct result of the trial. There are also trials that offer no financial incentive.

Answer

Yes, if there are funds and especially for potential risks. Studies take A LOT of time depending on the study. One study tried to enroll me and it required I take time off work, travel, exercise...for free. Noooooope. 
That said, many studies cannot afford cash payment. I do think they should try to pay people for the time/effort/energy if funds are there. 
If I’m facing a medically complex issue and want to enroll in a study, it’d be nice to get some cash, but at the end of the day, I’ll do the study just to see if it’d help. 
Now, if the researchers are going to impoverished areas, offering cash payments with no informed consent, that would be highly unethical, and it sadly has been practiced.

Answer

I think you should be compensated financially, definitely. You are willing to risk possible negative side effects for the sake of scientific progress.

Answer

Big NO. This can lead to abuse of the poor and homeless. Volunteer and donations do no require compensation, it’s in the meaning of the word itself. Something about profiting off the desperate and needy rubs me the wrong way.

Answer

Yeah I think so! The person enrolling is taking a risk to hopefully better society so why not compensate them for doing so?

Answer

It’s a slippery slope. Depending on how much is paid, I could see those are unable to get vaccines enrolling themselves in paid trials and essentially endangering their lives further solely because of the monetary compensation. 
I’m not sure how we could rule those out to keep them safe?

Answer

Most do it for the treatment. I have 2 clients that are clinical research centers - all of their studies give reimbursement.
You have to consider too, the 4th phase of a clinical trial is usually several thousands of people. We wouldn’t want to require huge reimbursements and then make the trial financially unfeasible.
If that happens, only big pharma could sponsor studies. Smaller independent sponsors would be out-financed.

Answer

yes. but it should be made clear to volunteers that they will still be paid (pro-rated) if they want to drop out. 
i think there’s always the risk that desperate people may put themselves through trials, that they struggle with, just for the sake of getting the financial compensation. 
i think expenses should already be covered regardless.

Answer

We had an entire section on this in my medical ethics course. There are guidelines that have to be followed if you’re going to offer compensation. Usually some money is ok but at a certain point (like several thousand) it becomes exploitative and that’s not allowed. Offering lots of money to trial participants can add bias to the study and throw off results (I.e. someone who otherwise wouldn’t have signed up, did so in order to get paid) so you have to be very very careful with how you do it. 
Personally I think it depends on the study. If it’s just a survey or watching the effects of exercise/no exercise, I don’t think that’s worth money. But if you’re being injected with experimental treatments, compensation should be offered.

Answer

I would say no, then the motifs are the most honest ones. If peole are paid, they tend to lie in some inctances.

Answer

This isn’t really debatable, it common sense. A company will pay someone to incentivize them, if necessary. If it’s a hot ticket trial, or lifesaving venture, they don’t need to incentivize participants... getting treatment is enough of one for people to join the trial. If the trial is an unnecessary medication or procedure, they may need to pay people to have them join the trial. 
So, I did IVF. I would have LOVED to join one of their trials because it was expensive as hell for treatment. 
But, I also get chronic migraines, and Botox works extremely well for me, so why would I bother joining a new medication trial (with potential unknown side effects) without someone paying me to do so?

Should clinical trial volunteers be paid?

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