Paid studies and clinical trials serve a vital role in the rapidly expanding landscape of new medicine. Without research studies, there would be no way to verify a new treatment’s benefits or safety.
The rigorous tests medicines undergo helps researchers prove the treatment is both safe and effective before large-scale public distribution.
By volunteering in a paid study, you are ultimately contributing to the greater good of medical advancements. Ideological arguments aside, individual participants can also gain from joining a study.
Even for volunteers, participating in a paid study can have an assortment of personal benefits. Participants might receive brand new medical treatments, free medical care, and be compensated financially for their time.
Our top 3 Reasons you should volunteer for a paid study:
- No Health Insurance Required, Better Healthcare
- Early Access to the Newest in Medicine
- Financial Compensation-- Get Paid
1. No Health Insurance Required-- Free Access to Healthcare
Regardless of where you stand politically, everyone can agree the healthcare system in the United States is inequitable, costly, and downright inefficient. Long wait-times for appointments, expensive diagnostic tests, and a lack of access in underprivileged communities adds to the long list of problems with American healthcare.
On the bright side– participants who enroll in paid studies may receive free testing and direct access to doctors without needing insurance.
Free Diagnostic Testing
Imaging tools used in diagnosis can be expensive– unaffordable even for people with great insurance coverage. But depending on the study you enroll in, you may have access to expensive diagnostic tests such as CT Scans, MRIs, or PET Scans for FREE without needing insurance.
CT scans, also called CAT scans, are common ways to look for internal bleeding, blood clots, bone fractures, cancers, or other unexplained pain. While one of the less expensive scans, a CT scan still could run you as much as $6,000– although most health insurance will cover the entire cost of the scan. Although if you're uninsured– you could be responsible for the full cost of the scan.
MRIs are typically more expensive. Formally called a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan, MRIs are common and used widely on all sorts of regions in the body. An MRI can cost as much as $12,000 depending on the procedure. If you have great insurance coverage, you could still owe up to a $1,000 co-pay.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans are less commonly used to diagnose cancers, heart conditions or brain diseases. PET scans can cost up to $10,000 depending on the procedure, but on average these scans cost around $6,000. Insurance may or may not cover the cost of the PET scan depending on how “medically necessary” the procedure is. If it’s just investigational or preventative-- insured individuals may be required to pay out of pocket.
In conclusion– if you’re uninsured you can expect to pay at minimum the “fair price” $2,000 for each scan- while potentially being required to pay more in select cases. For many people, paying this cost out of pocket might not be an option.
Luckily, many studies will pay for these scans, regardless of your insured status.
Direct Access to Doctors
Are you tired of waiting weeks, sometimes months, to meet with your doctor? There is no better way to have direct access to doctors than by participating in a sponsored clinical study. As a test subject, you will have direct, prioritized access to the doctors running the study for sometimes long periods of time.
During any study, if you have questions related to a condition or treatment, you will have direct access to a doctor with the answers. It is their job to oversee a sound and safe study– which is why they will take your questions and concerns seriously.
Additionally, research doctors who run clinical studies also tend to be leaders in their field. So in addition to having direct access to a doctor, they might also be a leader and expert in the field.
Some clinical trials will run for months too– which allows you to interact and see the sponsoring doctors several times over the course of a year.
For these reasons, a bonus of participating in clinical trials could be more immediate and direct access to healthcare than even the best insurance can provide.
2. Early Access to the Newest in Medicine
Every study is subject to strict guidelines and assigned a review board tasked with evaluating the study’s safety and potential outcome(s). That is to say, if you sign up for a study– you will be receiving the latest and newest treatment options available.
By the time any medication is approved for testing on humans, it must meet strict safety standards and show signs of having a positive impact in patients lives. This is established in Phase I & II clinical trials. It’s estimated only about 33% of drugs pass these tests and go on to large-scale Phase III trials.
When you enroll in a clinical study that is past Phase II, you are essentially getting access to new medications before they’re widely available.
Depending on the study and whether or not you are part of the treatment group– there’s a good chance quality of health and life could increase as a result of receiving the new medicine.
3. Financial Compensation
Lastly, the most immediate and obvious reason to enroll in a paid study is for the financial compensation. Within a few hours you might be able to earn as much as $100. Paid studies can be great ways to earn a little extra cash– but should always be carefully considered by all participants.
No amount of money is worth more than your health, well-being, and safety. Before applying to any study carefully weigh the risks and benefits of enrolling. For more information on safety, see checklist of things to consider when searching for a paid study.
Conclusion
Depending on what you're looking for there is a paid study out there for everyone. Whether your main goal is to earn some extra money, get free healthcare, try the latest treatment, or just learn something new-- there is an abundance of reasons one might enroll.
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