While obtaining informed consent from the patient we explain about all the procedures and risks involved in the study. While doing this can we motivate the subjects like "your efforts of taking part in study may benefit lot of future patients" and so on?
Isn't this asking for the obvious? People are motivated by all kinds of things. If you can explain truthfully their taking part serves a purpose such as bettering treatments directly, or gaining insight which is necesary for helping others in the future, this will probably motivate many. Of course the burden/risk imposed by the trial is on the other side of the balance. As these go up your arguments should be stronger. People are also motivated by other things such as financial compensation, free or cheaper treatments for them and their relatives and much more.
I don't say I'm saying anything beyond common sense and frankly what other sources there are to answer your question. Should I add one should never lie to subjects? I think not.
Flip Schrameijer
I never meant to say that we should lie. I was just interested to know that, to what extent a researcher can go to motivate subjects to take part in the study. As motivation is a robust tool in many occasions.
Should we inform the subjects only about benefits and risks involved in the study, or can we also take extra efforts to motivate them to take part in study. And is it ethical to do so ?
Once you do the former (well), I wouldn't know why the latter would be unethical.
Hi, I think because in clinical trials we have to have inform consent forms and in this forms ( as ethical issues) we should write about benefits and risk .
Also for participants incentive can be the best motivators and we can write about it in consent forms.
I think the proper question is how far we can go with motivating potential participants. Thankfully nowadays almost all studies needs the Ethical Board (Committe) approval and in all study protocols these issues have to be covered. I would say, if the EB approves then go with it.
I think using incentives or motivators to encourage individuals to participate in trials is a Double-edged sword. It can be used unethically among poor or illiterate people. Thus, there are no absolutes regarding this issue.
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