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[Aceme Nyika]

Should Ethics Committees in Africa allow health researchers to pay participants money for participation in Health Research?

Should they reject such proposals, control the amounts paid to the participants for their participation, or let the participants be paid whatever amounts the researchers propose to pay?

[sarr samba]

Rejection of the study if the product is most going to be avoilable at cost after the trial
The community can offered after the trial and product effecttively
Since There is already existing affective drug the condition is not life treating and is not major health problem in the community
- Thproposal can be approved if
- 1 The drug effective is free for all community for one year
-2 Price at which community can afford
-3 There should be provision of standard of care when there are emergence of AE or SAE provided not related to the drug

[Nkiruka Odunukwe]

In our group 3 we have different views
1.Some believe that participants in Africa should be treated the same way their counter parts in developed countries are treated.
2. Another group believe they should not be paid for being involved in a given study but should only be compensated for transport, time spent and food if necessary.

[Peter Mageto]

Group II

Members: Dr Alida KOUOJIP MABOU ( chair person) Cameroon
Saidou MAIGA Mali, BAGAGNAN Cheik Hamidou, Burkina; Faiza MOHAMED OSMAN, Sudan; Joel SOMANJE, Zambia; Dr Peter MAGETO (secretary) Kenya; Dr Ann KARANI, Kenya; Dr Aissatou TOURE, Senegal


From the paper questions provided, the second response is the best because:
 Giving $150 is likely to lead to unduely influence of the participants
 Not giving money at all is likely to be be seen as exploitation, while there is a need to compensate the whole day spent in the hospital for the purpose of the research when somebody would have been working
 The amount paid to the participants need to be adjusted to the local realities and the balance can be used to support the health system(s) of that community (for example the clinic where the trial is carried out)

Generally, the group agree that compensation should be made- time spent, travel expenses and liability benefits

[Nkiruka Odunukwe]

The proposal should not be rejected.

[sarr samba]

For our group, the controling by fixing the amount to be paid the participants and the balance put into ancellary care for the community.

[germainSAVADOGO]

According to me, I think that the ethics committees in Africa should study the question with precaution for two reasons: Initially, the African populations are in general poor, and the fact of being able to earn money in a study, will not enable them to give a good assent before their participation in the study. In against part, to pay these people is a way to motivate them to form part of the studies
_________________
Health Economist
Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna
(CRSN)

[Aceme Nyika]

[germainSAVADOGO]

Dear Aceme !
Morning and thanks for answer me,
I think that the ethics committees should not regard as high, the amounts paid to the participants in the studies because it is the human life which is concerned and it does not have a price. These committees should rather work with raising these amounts. Now concerning the direct payment of the participants in the studies, I think that it can be adjusted on a reasonable level and the complement possibly used for the development of the activities of health in the respective areas
_________________
Health Economist
Centre de Recherche en Santé de Nouna
(CRSN)

[abdradiarra]

Les comités d'éthiques africains doivent permettre aux chercheurs en santé de payer les personnes qui participent à leurs recherches.
Les comités d'éthiques doivent laisser le libre champ aux chercheurs et aux personnes qui participent à leurs recherches de négocier les montants à payer en fonction du niveau de vie local et de l'effort demandé.
_________________
Abdramane Diarra
BP 02 Nouna
Burkina Faso
Tél: +(226)70720430
+(226)20537058
E-mail: abdradiarra@yahoo.fr

[bukaradam]

The committees have to determine that the risks to the participants are reasonable compared to the percieved benefits. It has been argued that payment to research participants is not a benefit, rather a compensation for time and inconvinience. It is left for the committee to determine that such payment are not coercive nor present undue influence. Where the time or inconvinience is minimal, other incenvtives might be given. Like what we do in oral health research, we offer them free treatments where where required and also give tooth brush/paste. So the proposal should not be rejected.

[kso95]

In my opinion, the issue of payment for participation in health research is not the issue but that all researches has to be risk free abnitio. The duty of the IRB is to make sure that any approved research has been reviewed and agreed to be risk free. Thence whatever amount is paid whether low or high will have no undue influence on the participants as the study itself is risk free.
_________________
Dr Oyedeji KSO
Head, Haematology Unit
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
Lagos.

[bolajokoaina]

Participants could be paid some stipends to cover transport and some inconveniences allowance but this payment should not be a bait such that it will waive the participant's authonomy.
_________________
BAAINA

[Resign]

I think the amounts given to participants should not be coercive. If what the participants are offered is too high, it might be very tempting for them and they will end up entering the study because of the incentive rather that entering the study objectively. However, reimbursements for transport and so on should always be included in the consent form
_________________
Resign Gunda
Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (MRCZ)
Harare
Zimbabwe
gundazr@yahoo.co.uk
+263-912-876825