Sammanfattning
BACKGROUND: A fall in recruitment of participants for research has been observed in recent years. In order to ensure a sufficient number of research participants, incentives such as remuneration and gift cards have been used. The number of Norwegian research groups that apply to use payment has not been previously studied. We have investigated the extent to which payment and other incentives are used in medical and health research in Norway.
MATERIAL AND METHOD: Four of the seven Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REC) in Norway were selected to participate in the study. All applications for approval of research projects submitted to these committees in 2014 were analysed. Following a review of the application form, research protocol and information and consent form associated with the project applications, a total of 515 of 955 project applications were included in the study.
RESULTS: Of 515 project applications that were included, a total of 12 % applied to use incentives. Altogether 4 % applied to use remuneration and 7 % applied to use incentives such as gift cards, gifts and lottery tickets. Of the project applications involving remuneration, 82 % were for amounts of NOK 500 or less.
INTERPRETATION: A minority of the research groups applied to use incentives. The amounts that were planned to be used as incentives were low and appear to be acceptable. It is unlikely that the size of the incentives constitutes an undue influence on research participants in Norway.