Perception of clinical research among patients and healthy volunteers of clinical trials

Purpose Clinical research relies on data from patients and volunteers, yet the target sample size is often not achieved. Here, we assessed the perception of clinical research among clinical trial participants to improve the recruitment process for future studies. Methods We conducted a single-center descriptive and exploratory study of 300 current or former participants in various phase I-III clinical trials. Questionnaires were either distributed to current clinical trial participants or emailed to former subjects. Results Subjects strongly agreed or agreed that contributing to improving medical care (> 81%), contributing to scientific research (> 79%), and trusting their treating physicians (> 77%) were motives for study participation. Among healthy volunteers, financial motives positively correlated with the number of clinical trials they had participated in (p < 0.05). Higher age positively correlated with expectation of best available treatment during study participation among patients (p < 0.05). Less than 8% of all subjects expressed great concern about the potential risks of sharing their personal information as part of the study. Subjects displayed great trust or trust in medical staff (86.6%) and in government research institutions (76.4%), and very little trust or little trust in pharmaceutical companies (35.4%) and health insurance companies (16.9%). Conclusion Altruistic motives and trust in treating physicians were predominant motives for clinical trial participation. Older patients expected to receive the best available treatment during participation. Healthy volunteers who reported financial motives had participated in more clinical trials. Consistent with great trust in medical staff and government research institutions, little concern was expressed about the misuse of personal data during the trial.

Automated summary

Improving medical care, contributing to scientific research, and trusting treating physicians are the main motives for clinical trial participation among participants. Older patients have higher expectations of receiving optimal treatment during participation. Healthy volunteers with financial motives have participated in more clinical trials. Participants have high trust in medical staff and government research institutions, but low trust in pharmaceutical and health insurance companies.