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Exploitation in payments to research subjects
1Department of Philosophy and Religion, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA. trisha.phillips@msstate.edu
Bioethics
|May 15, 2009
Summary
Researchers should establish a fair wage for research subjects, with a lower payment limit to prevent exploitation. Payments should be considered wages, and undue inducement concerns are only valid for high-risk trials.
Area of Science:
- Bioethics
- Research Ethics
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Cash payments are common for recruiting research subjects.
- Debate exists regarding the appropriateness and amount of these payments.
- Concerns include exploitation and undue inducement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine arguments for and against a lower payment limit for research subjects.
- To determine if payments constitute wages and address undue inducement concerns.
- To propose a compromise for fair compensation in research participation.
Main Methods:
- Critical examination of existing arguments regarding subject payment.
- Analysis of the wage vs. inducement dichotomy.
- Evaluation of risk levels in relation to payment concerns.
Main Results:
- A lower payment limit is necessary and cannot be circumvented by non-wage models.
- Concerns about undue inducement are generally unjustified, except in trials exceeding minimal risk.
- Fairness requires a minimum wage, but excessively high fair wages should negate payment.
Conclusions:
- An unconditional lower limit for research subject payments should be implemented.
- Researchers must pay a fair wage, avoiding exploitation.
- In cases of potentially problematic high fair wages, offering no payment is preferable.
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