CONSIDERATION IN RETURN FOR CONSENT: ETHICS OF PAYMENTS MADE TO AND BY CLINICAL TRIAL SUBJECTS

Abstract

Clinical trials are less known about in India, especially by our rural population. There seems
to be a dire need for creating public awareness and understanding of clinical trials/research
and consequently the importance of informed consent, and other pre-requisites of conducting
a clinical trial in India. This being the case, this paper shall specifically deal with the ethical
and legal concerns that may arise out of paying clinical trial patients. This paper shall deal
with the problems with informed consent in paediatric trials, trials relating to substance
users and trials relating to other people incapable of giving consent. This paper shall also
deal with the question as to whether money or other considerations in the form of incentives
can be said to cloud the judgement of trial subjects while giving consent, thereby making it
an uninformed consent. This paper shall also deal with the ethical aspect of accepting
donations, etc. as criteria for accepting clinical trial subjects.