Healthcare inequity is a factor in recruiting vulnerable people to research trials

Nordling notes that concerns over undue influence in recruiting vulnerable people to become research participants is not restricted to lower income countries.1 Indeed, lest we forget, in London in 2006 six previously healthy research subjects were nearly killed in a phase 1 trial.2 Each participant was promised £2000 on completion of the trial.3But money is not the only incentive that raises concerns over research recruitment. There is also the matter of medical inequity in market based—privatised—healthcare systems. The US, for example, spends considerably more on healthcare than any other wealthy western country.4 Yet 30 million of its people lack health insurance coverage and another 100 million experience stressful healthcare debt—a major source of bankruptcy.5 As Fisher states, participating in clinical trials is frequently marketed to the American public “as a way to obtain ‘free’ doctors’ visits, diagnostic tests, and medications.”6Medical inequity fuelled by market driven healthcare that seeks a return…
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