Contents
- 1 What is a Paid Clinical Trial?
- 2 What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Participating in Paid Clinical Trials?
- 3 How Does a Paid Clinical Trial for Healthy Volunteers Work?
- 4 What Has Research Taught Us About Paid Clinical Trials?
- 5 Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
- 5.1 Do paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers provide compensation?
- 5.2 How do I find out if I am eligible to participate in a paid clinical trial near me?
- 5.3 Can I leave before completion?
- 5.4 What type of information is collected in these studies?
- 5.5 How long do paid clinical trials last?
- 5.6 What questions should I ask if I am interested in participating in a paid clinical trial?
What is a Paid Clinical Trial?
A paid clinical trial is a vehicle used by researchers, educational sponsors, universities, regulatory entities, and pharmaceutical companies to measure the effectiveness of a device, drug intervention, or treatment type. For example, AMA estimates a need for over one million participants to test therapeutic options for the treatment of COVID-19.
Using healthy volunteers for paid clinical trials allows researchers to gain relevant insight and information about a specific health condition or chronic disease. Participation assists in the efforts to improve public health and patient outcomes.
How Do I Find Clinical Trials for Healthy Volunteers Near Me?
You can easily access clinical trial information by contacting your local research hospital or university or by accessing government-sponsored information. In some cases, your doctor may also be able to recommend a paid clinical trial for healthy volunteers based on your personal health history.
We have compiled the following list of paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers, and click the Search All button at the bottom to find more:
Who Conducts Paid Clinical Trials for Healthy Volunteers?
A principal investigator or lead clinical trial coordinator oversees the entire scope of the study. Often, independent research teams represent a pharmaceutical company to ensure a safe clinical trial experience for the paid volunteers. Clinical studies aim to learn more about how a specific treatment modality may work in people with a similar health condition.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Participating in Paid Clinical Trials?
The main advantage is the ability to access a course of treatment before it is available to the public. In addition, participation in a paid clinical study allows you access to life-changing medical care that otherwise might not be easily accessible. Unfortunately, many health insurance providers do not include newer therapeutics in their approved formularies. So, participating in paid clinical trials may provide an opportunity to try groundbreaking therapies for zero out-of-pocket costs and minimal travel expenses.
Your participation in a paid clinical trial may end in disappointment should the trial therapy not work as intended and often the most significant disadvantage for hopeful volunteers. Other drawbacks could include the time and uncovered travel expenses related to routine trial assessments and doctor visits.
Most paid clinical trial volunteers try to stick it out to complete the entire study despite experiencing undesirable side effects. However, you can discuss these concerns with your primary care physician or study coordinator during the informed consent process of the study enrollment.
How Does a Paid Clinical Trial for Healthy Volunteers Work?
Both non-paid and paid clinical trials are research studies that involve using healthy volunteers to gather information. The two main types of clinical studies are observational studies and clinical trials. Both types engage in comprehensive clinical assessments to test or measure distinct types of medical interventions.
The length and requirements of paid clinical study participation are different for each. However, you can choose to leave the clinical trial study at will.
You may notice when searching for clinical trials near you references four separate phases of clinical trials (Phase I, II, III, and IV).
The phase-breakdown is the clinical trial classification method researchers use to establish a record of safety before a therapeutic drug intervention gains approval by the FDA for use in the public.
Phase I Paid Clinical Trials
Phase I clinical trials are targeted toward achieving the safest possible dosage recommendations and determining the overall efficacy of the therapeutic method involved. In addition, clinical trial investigators are looking for the best administration methods and assessing the intervention on the most comprehensive level possible. In most cases, phase I paid clinical trials use a small number of healthy volunteers to mitigate any risk factors.
Phase II Paid Clinical Trials
Phase II clinical trials are close to the same as Phase I trials, but with expanded data collection and safety assessments. Doctors may continue to tweak dosing for optimal efficacy and perform more tests to measure how well the patient responds to treatment.
Phase III Paid Clinical Trials
Phase III clinical trials determine the potential for adverse reactions. During this trial phase, it is common for research investigators to examine the effects on various sub-populations and how a treatment plan benefits a patient compared to other drug candidates or combinations.
Phase IV Paid Clinical Trials
Phase IV clinical trials are designed to measure the effectiveness over a broader range of diverse patient types. Researchers also aim to discover any essential information that may have gone undiscovered during the first three trial phases. At this point, the intervention is close to being introduced to the public market.
What Has Research Taught Us About Paid Clinical Trials?
The contributions made by participating in paid clinical trials are significant and cover an enormous scope of medical and scientific arenas. The research community maintains that the results of clinical trials are beyond helpful in finding improvements in how we age and overall quality of life.
Clinical trials provide researchers with critical biomarkers that indicate chronic disease precursors such as inflammation, hormone production, and organ function. As a result, highly respected medical professionals cite the importance of clinical trial recruitment and encourage continued efforts towards participation among diverse populations.
The overwhelming majority of these trials were made possible because of the “resources spent on clinical development of new therapies, which have been provided by pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and device companies.” As Judith M. Kramer, MD, MS, an associate professor of medicine at Duke University noted, “without the contributions of these organizations, along with those of the health professionals and patients who participate in clinical trials, public health in the US would not be what it is today.” {Source: PolicyMed}
Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do paid clinical trials for healthy volunteers provide compensation?
The compensation amounts vary depending on the trial type and sponsor. However, most paid participants are compensated for travel-related expenses, any required medical treatment, prescriptions, and care. The median compensation amount for paid clinical trial volunteers is estimated to be $3070, with the average ranging from $75 to $13,000.
The rate of pay is most often reflective of the procedure or therapeutic type and inherent risk factors such as neurological studies, cardiovascular, or blood disorders. There may also be limitations or exclusions based on people who have participated in more than one clinical trial in the same year.
You may also wish to explore why candidates are being paid for a particular study and any other possible unplanned expenses that may exclude compensation.
How do I find out if I am eligible to participate in a paid clinical trial near me?
Clinical trial and eligibility information are available by contacting the clinical study coordinator or team lead. They may determine if you are eligible by factors related to age, gender, medical history, pre-existing condition, and proximity to the trial site.
It is also important to realize that not every clinical trial candidate who seeks enrollment will be selected for the paid clinical study. Despite meeting the required eligibility criteria, the selection is left up to the sole discretion of the study sponsors and chosen to find the best possible candidates for the study type.
Can I leave before completion?
Withdrawing from a paid clinical trial is permitted for any reason. However, most clinical care coordinators inform patients at the beginning of the depth of care involved and any travel requirements. Understanding the expectations can help you make the best-informed decision for you and your family before enrolling in the study.
The number of people needed to conduct the study may vary, and obtaining viable results depends heavily upon completion, but it is not mandatory. Discontinuing the clinical study before completion may affect your compensation. Study coordinators want patients to feel safe and assured their best interest is paramount at the time of enrollment.
Common reasons for discontinuing participation in a clinical trial:
– Undesirable side effects
– Changes in familial or living situations
– Unforeseen changes in one’s health
– Financial or job complications
What type of information is collected in these studies?
The type of information collected varies from study to study. In most cases, paid clinical study volunteers should expect a vast amount of laboratory testing at each of the four clinical trial phases. Researchers typically predetermine the data points relative to their specified trial design. Clinical trial investigators capture vital patient data using questionnaires, medical records, surveys, lab results, genomic assessments, and comprehensive medical evaluations.
How long do paid clinical trials last?
There is no set timeline for how long paid clinical trials can last. It varies from study to study. Typically, the clinical trial investigator will disclose as many details as possible before enrollment. The goal is for every paid clinical trial volunteer to be able to complete the study in the allotted period without any complications.
What questions should I ask if I am interested in participating in a paid clinical trial?
Participating in a paid clinical trial means you are entitled to certain pre-enrollment checks and balances; one is informed consent. The NIH maintains clear guidance for safe and ethical clinical trial programs. As such, the hallmark elements of an informed consent disclosure must include:
1. The comprehensive nature of the treatment, procedure, or drug. The risks and benefits associated.
2. Reasonable alternatives to the procedure or treatment intervention.
3. Assessment and acknowledgment that you, the patient, are in complete understanding of items 1-3.
Informed consent details the communications required between you, your healthcare physician, or your clinical trial providers. The purpose of informed consent is to give the patient complete transparency with every facet of the intended clinical trial study plan. This level of transparency also contributes to establishing trust before moving forward with the participation process.
What to ask:
– You may want to ask questions related to the purpose or goal of the clinical study you are interested in.
– You may ask if family members may accompany you during hospital stays or doctor visits.
– It would be appropriate to ask questions related to the likelihood of discomfort, pain, or side effects that may be experienced.
– Ask if a hospital stay might be necessary.
– Be sure to discuss any travel arrangements and compensation.
– Some clinical studies are randomized and include the use of a placebo. Therefore, ask what type of trial design and what is involved with the paid clinical study you are interested in.
– Inquire as to whether you will be able to access results.
– Inquire as to the number of people involved in the study.
– You can ask questions about similar studies or any previous attempts of the same study.
– Questions related to post-care strategies are advised.