Can I compensate VA or VMRF employees who refer or enroll as patients to participate in my study?
VMRF cannot pay VA and VMRF employees for their participation in a research study based on underlying taxation, CA labor laws, and VA rules against potential dual compensation. In addition, we do not wish to support a potential appearance of coercion of employees into a study. In light of the above, VMRF discourages VA and VMRF employees’ enrollment into VMRF administered studies. As an exception, VMRF will allow the employee to receive reimbursement for out of pocket expenses which are written into the compensations section of the IRB protocol and which must be available for all study participants. In other words, VA and VMRF employees who wish to volunteer for participation in a clinical study can only be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses such as transportation, meals, etc which cannot include “compensation for time or inconvenience”. VMRF patient compensation forms include a checkbox to verify that no employee may receive compensation. Please be advised that VMRF will not tolera
