By Carlo Calabrese, ND, MPH, Senior Investigator at the Helfgott Research Institute
Why do people choose to enter medical studies as research subjects?
Notoriously, people get involved in research for money. However, even most clinical trials— the type of study most likely to be associated with cash rewards— do not return significant remuneration for participation, with compensation more often on the order of lunch and bus fare or small token thank you gifts. Many other kinds of studies, such as epidemiological studies and surveys, for example, or studies that desire access to personal medical records to be used in research, offer nothing material at all in return.
Very few people enter studies for access to otherwise unavailable life-saving treatment. Patients with incurable and chronic diseases may enter studies in the hope that they will derive health benefit from participation. More often, they realize that others with their condition in the future are the more likely beneficiaries of their efforts. So, why do they enroll?
I believe that most research participants think it is going to help someone. Concomitant requisites for participants are respect for the general progress of humankind and the desire to be affiliated with the community in what may be an epic battle: human survival. Some volunteer for enlightenment— the curiosity of seeing what the study involves, learning more about their bodies and health. Some enter for entertainment— social aspects for the lonely, relief from a boring job. But mostly they participate in a study because volunteering for medical research adds meaning to their lives.
We should also acknowledge the virtues of those willing to put themselves on the line for the specific altruism of medical investigations: courage, curiosity, the willingness to look very carefully at themselves and to be precise…maybe even wisdom… maybe even heroism.