Is it ethical to remunerate substance abusers a large lump sum payment for participation in research?
The IRB questioned the ethics of allowing a lump sum payment of $1000 be made to subjects who were known substance abusers, expressing concerns that the size of the payment might contribute to a relapse of substance abuse. Concerns were based on the ethical principle of Beneficence, which requires that risks be minimized to the extent possible. OHRP Guidance indicates that, “…the IRB should review both the amount of payment and the proposed method of disbursement to assure that neither entails problems of coercion or undue influence. Such problems might occur, for example, if the entire payment were to be contingent upon completion of the study or if the payment were unusually large. Payments should reflect the degree of risk, inconvenience, or discomfort associated with participation.” “Volunteers are often compensated for their participation according to an established fee schedule, based upon the complexity of the study, the type and number of procedures to be performed, the time in
