I would like to hear how other institutions handle incentive payments for clinical trials.  Our legal counsel recently reviewed and approved their previous opinion, which is that incentive payments are unethical.  I was recently told by one of our investigator's staff, that we apparently have the highest ethical standards in America, because no other institution had problems accepting incentive payments from the pharmaceutical.  (Although this was meant as an insult, we did take some pride in it!)

We do try to negotiate additional funds for the investigator, but we end up with fewer additional funds.  We might tell the company that the investigator needs a 50% nurse for a few weeks to enroll patients, or they need a computer, etc.

Does anyone send a revised protocol to their IRB if incentive payments are offered?

Thanks in advance,
Colleen
>>> "Deborah (Debbie) L. Smith 901 448-5587" <xxxxxx@UTMEM1.UTMEM.EDU> 10/26 8:28 AM >>>
Our committees do not receive copies of the actual GRANT--they have their own forms that must be completed, and--of course--they see the protocols.

As to payments to investigators, we have a policy that prohibits the payment of "finder's fees" to ANYONE.  If incentives are offered by the sponsor for quick enrollment, etc., the institution accepts the funds, but they are not provided as bonuses to project staff, which might compromise the integrity of the recruitment process.

Debbie Smith
UT Memphis
xxxxxx@utmem.edu

Colleen Corcoran
Clinical Research Administrator
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
(518) 474-5663
(518) 474-6995 fax