Study goal: This study was carried out to answer the following research question: which
motivation do healthy volunteers have to participate in phase I clinical trials?
- Methods: A literature search was done through Google Scholar and Academic Search
Premier, followed by three interviews with volunteers who had recently concluded their
participation in a (non-commercial) phase I trial.
- Results: Our literature search revealed mainly commercial motives for volunteers to
participate in phase I clinical trials. The interviews (with volunteers in a non-commercial
trial) showed that other factors may also play a decisive role, such as: (1) wish to support
the investigator (2) wish to contribute to science, (3) access to more/better health care (4)
sociability: possibility to relax and to communicate with other participants (5) general
curiosity. Precondition is that risks and burden are deemed acceptable.
- Conclusions: financial remuneration appears to be the predominant motive to participate
voluntarily in a clinical trial. Other reasons were also mentioned however, such as general
curiosity, the drive to contribute to science and the willingness to help the investigator. In
addition, social reasons were given such as possibility to relax and to meet other people.
Potential subjects state that they adequately assess the (safety) risks of participating in a
trial as part of their decision process.