Author/Authors :
Wikler, D. Harvard University - Harvard School of Public Health - Department of Population and International Health, USA , Sofaer, N. Harvard University - Program in Ethics and Health, USA , Jafarey, A. Sindh Institute of Urology Transplantation - Centre of Biomedical Ethics and Culture, Pakistan , Lei, R.P Central China University of Science and Technology - Centre for Bioethics - Department of Philosophy, China , Zhang, X. Peking Union Medical College - Centre for Bioethics, China
Abstract :
A central requirement of research involving humans is that people who participate as subjects should do so voluntarily. We argue that disagreements about the effect of offers of compensation on subjects’ ability to participate voluntarily are likely to persist and to have high social costs. We propose a novel compensation practice to pay potential subjects whether or not they participate and argue that its implementation in some regions, including the Eastern Mediterranean Region, may reduce disagreement and thus mitigate such costs. We outline a research programme for assessing the potential of this practice to reduce costs.
