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How to find and take part in paid clinical trials.

Participating in a clinical trial has many benefits, including working with condition specialists, getting access to personalized medical care, and helping science move forward — but did you know that some clinical trials offer compensation, as well?

Some research opportunities offer financial compensation, while others provide reimbursement for travel, gas, and other expenses. However, it is important to understand what clinical trials are compensating for, why some trials are paid differently than others, and how to find opportunities that are a good fit for your situation.

What are paid clinical trial opportunities?

Before enrolling in a paid clinical trial, it’s important to understand why some offer compensation while others do not. The Center for Info & Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) points out that in most cases, participants are being compensated as a reward for risk . There are benefits, such as access to potential new treatments and therapies, but it is important to remember that the treatments tested have not yet been approved.

Before you can participate in any clinical trial , whether or not it offers compensation, you will be asked to review and sign an informed consent form (ICF) which explains the potential benefits, risks, and side effects that you may experience while taking part in the study. The ICF will highlight that the investigational treatment may or may not help a condition, and may or may not lead to adverse effects.

ICFs are not a contract, and participants can always withdraw from a study at any time, for any reason — but it is a helpful tool for understanding the potential risks associated with a particular study. Before you agree to sign, asking questions is encouraged in order to do a full evaluation. Importantly for paid trial opportunities, it is good to inquire about payment milestones and how they are handled if a person were to withdraw from the study at any point.

How much do clinical trials pay?

Paid trial opportunities are not the norm, but for the ones that are compensated, rates can vary tremendously. Some trials offer payment for time and effort, while others simply reimburse travel costs or childcare. Typically, the rate of compensation will have to do with the phase of the trial . For example, Phase 1 trials offer the highest payments ( around $2,000 on average ), but this is because the treatments being studied are less well-understood. Phase IV trials, in comparison, offer the lowest average compensation ( around $400 ).

The therapeutic area can also impact payment — cardiovascular disease, neurology, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and blood disorders trials tend to pay the most. However, it’s important to remember that paid clinical trials ask for something in return. In addition to testing not-yet-approved treatments, you’ll likely be asked to provide detailed symptoms and side effects tracking, and travel to the site to take part.

How to find a paid clinical trial opportunity

Because of strict advertising guidelines and screening criteria surrounding trial eligibility, determining how to find a research opportunity that is paid can be difficult. Many trials do not include compensation in their listing, and before going through the screening process, it can be difficult to determine if you will be eligible.

To begin the process of finding potentially paid clinical trials near you that you may qualify for, we recommend using a personalized search for clinical trials so you can narrow down options as much as possible. While it is not possible to sort for paid trials through a personalized search, it will help you find studies that may be a good fit and understand the benefits of each particular trial.

Even if a clinical trial doesn’t offer compensation, getting access to a potential new treatment can be a key benefit to participating in research. Without volunteers, new medications can’t be approved by the FDA, and therefore can’t reach patients. Clinical trials play a major role in the advancement of scientific research and will hopefully benefit future generations. Simply put, research matters — so start your clinical trial search today.

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Find Research Studies for Money That Are Worthwhile

Home / Resources / Find Research Studies for Money That Are Worthwhile

Many people are motivated to participate in clinical research studies by the chance to help others – to make a unique contribution to medical science. Perhaps just as many seek out new clinical studies so they can gain access to novel treatments that may alleviate their symptoms.

Not much has been written about a third group, those who perform clinical studies for extra money, but they are a significant part of the clinical trial landscape. Clinical studies for money have the opportunity to be larger and more comprehensive than those that do not offer any form of compensation. Offering financial compensation to participants also allows clinical trial study sponsors to more effectively drive the right types of individuals into clinical trials.

Yet, it is important to plan research studies that focus on drug development and offer financial compensation carefully.

Without appropriate preparation, a clinical study for money can face problems that would be unusual for other types of studies. This has the potential to pollute data and affect results. With that in mind, clinical studies for money are best done with by study sponsors with the appropriate experience and expertise.

With the emergence of COVID-19 and its effect on the larger population, research studies for money that are also focused on vaccines have emerged as a way to test new vaccination options. These types of studies generally provide some type of compensation or payment to individuals who participate in order to quickly run trials and get drugs to market. With that, here are some advantages and disadvantages for running research studies for money.

Advantages of Clinical Research Studies for Money

There are distinct advantages to this form of clinical study:

1. More Healthy and Matching Volunteers

All in all, a study sponsor will receive more volunteers for research studies for money than you would without. This can be a significant factor if a sponsor is trying to reach a population that is usually difficult to stir to action. It’s always better to have “too many” volunteers rather than too few, as this gives a sponsor team options.

2. More Referrals for the Study Team

The potential for referrals is another significant boost for a compensation-based study. This can be vital if a study sponsor is working on research related to rare or hereditary conditions. A single study participant could have parents and siblings who are eligible, or participate in online communities where patients gather.

3. Greater Marketing Visibility for Clinical Studies

If a study sponsor is actively marketing or advertising medical studies for money, then making it clear participants may qualify for compensation is a powerful way to get them to seek more information. Of course, sponsors must be careful about what specific statements your marketing makes in relation to finances.

Disadvantages of a Clinical Study for Money

1. not all applicants will match the trial criteria.

When they hear of clinical studies for extra money, some people will apply for virtually any opportunity they become aware of. They feel it is up to the organizers of the study to reject them, rather than do appropriate due diligence on their own. This leads to wasted time on administrative tasks.

2. A Thorough Screening Process

For any clinical trial, a thorough screening process is essential to make sure that participants meet the trial exclusion criteria. The trial research team or study sponsor should look to build relationships with potential participants to make sure they are committed to completing a study and will align with any ongoing trial related needs such as completion of diary studies and ongoing interviews and conversations.

3. Applicants May Seek to Change or Manipulate Results

Once they are involved in a study that provides monetary payments, participants are eager to remain until they do receive money. Given this human behavior, it is important to make your expectations clear and structure your study to minimize the potential for individuals to invalidate their own results.

4. Studies Can Be Challenging to Budget

Depending on the stage of your research, you might find you are making a significant investment only to gain nothing in return that you can commercialize. It’s important for administrative, communications, and clinical personnel to work together to understand the contingencies of a study.

Making Clinical Research Studies for Money Successful

1. clarify the compensation model from the start.

It is usually best to have one and only one method by which study participants will earn compensation. For example, some studies compensate participants for travel time, while others offer a flat amount at certain points in the study. Multiple compensation factors can interact in unexpected and costly ways.

2. Set Out Expectations From the Beginning

In the odd event that someone enters your study without meeting all of the qualifications, be sure that the study agreement is structured in such a way as to disqualify them from any compensation. This will discourage people from “surfing” studies they are not a true fit for.

3. Communicate Steps to Your Participants

To get compensation, a participant must obviously do all that’s required of them in the context of the study. This might mean following a treatment plan, taking regularly scheduled blood tests, keeping a symptom journal, and so on. Communicate and re-emphasize steps to the participants in multiple ways.

4. Bring Internal and External Expertise Together

Compensation adds an additional layer of complexity to your study. Be certain everyone in your team is coordinating to improve the upside and control the downside. Early in your study planning, before a marketing strategy is finalized, ensure you have performed a full compliance and legal review.

5. Prepare to Capitalize on Successful Studies

A strong history of research studies for money can help you build rapport within the communities where you must recruit your volunteers. As medical studies for money come to a close, canvas participants to collect testimonials and quotes discussing their positive experiences in the process.

How Are Participants Compensated for Research Studies?

There are a number of ways in which users can receive money for participating in research studies.

1. Free Medical Care

Generally all medical care associated with the clinical trial is covered by the organization running the trial. This includes any tests, trial medications, and any additional medical care related to running the clinical trial.

2. Compensation for Travel

Most clinical trials will offer payment for the travel associated with participating in a research study. Some clinical trials that focus on very specific user groups can even cover travel expenses such as airfare if there is a strong commitment from the participant.

3. Compensation for Time

For many clinical trials, especially ones that are focused on healthy volunteers, compensating participants for their time is an important piece of the trial process. Many trials will require regular check-ins that can happen either in-person or via phone, and given the time commitment necessary to effectively complete a trial it makes sense for people to be compensated.

Clinical studies for money can be a great opportunity for individuals who are looking to assist in the progression of a specific medicine, who are looking for cutting-edge treatment options for a specific disease, or for those who are interested in receiving money or financial compensation for their time and participation. Remember to always discuss your options and details associated with the trial with the study sponsor prior to fully committing. Review our current and upcoming studies for financial compensation here.

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Find Paid Clinical Trials

Find Paid Clinical Trials Near You

How to find clinical trials.

Utilize Find Paid Clinical Trials to search for studies in your area. We gather clinical trials from various reliable sources, such as clinicaltrials.gov, and categorize them by condition and location. We are committed to presenting you with the latest clinical trials actively seeking volunteers, emphasizing trials that offer compensation to participants.

Types of Clinical Trials

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Why Participate in Clinical Trials That Provide Compensation?

Participating in a clinical trial, whether it focuses on a vaccine, new treatment, or medical device, is a significant commitment. These trials often span several years and demand participants to engage in regular in-person and remote check-ins to collect necessary information and data effectively. To alleviate the potential challenges of these long-term commitments, many trials offer compensation to participants for their time and travel. Additionally, participants often receive free medical care, making their involvement in the trials more worthwhile.

Since 2018, we've been helping volunteers around the globe find paid studies in their area. Browse our database of more than 100,000 clinical trials and get randomized today.

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Paid Clinical Trials

Emily earned a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2018 and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences with a focus in pharmacology from University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in 2020. During her thesis work, she studied non-small cell lung cancer and how the immune system plays a role in response to different treatments. Emily currently lives in Colorado where she enjoys the mountains, spending time with her dog, baking, and reading a good book.

• Rochester Institute of Technology, B.S. in Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience, 2018
• University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, M.S. in Basic Biomedical Sciences, 2020

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Why Participate in a Paid Clinical Trial?

Paid trials and informed consent, how much do clinical trials pay, joining a paid clinical trial.

Clinical trials can take a significant time commitment, and investigators recognize this. Depending on the study, you may be provided compensation for your time and willingness to be part of the research process.

If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, compensation could help ease your concerns about participation, after weighing all the benefits and risks together. However, payment to participants in clinical trials is a tricky subject, as regulations exist to ensure that money is not offered unethically as a reason to participate in a study. 1

Learn more about the factors that determine compensation in clinical trials.

Paid clinical trials are a great way for people to give back to the scientific and medical communities. Some healthy people volunteer to help advance medicine, while others living with a certain condition can receive a potentially beneficial treatment.

When you join a clinical trial, all of your study-related healthcare costs are covered by the investigators. For some, joining a clinical trial may be a way to have additional study-related physical exams, bloodwork, or other tests done for no extra charge. People living with a disease or condition who join clinical trials to try an investigational treatment may also benefit from the extra care or hospital stays required by a study.

While the idea of being paid to join a clinical trial may be enticing, it’s important to remember that you’re being compensated for not only your time, but the potential risks to you as well. Before you can join a clinical trial, you must first meet with the study investigators so they can obtain informed consent . This is a consent process in which the investigators tell you about the study, including information on:

• The length of time the study will take
• The treatment you’ll be receiving
• The risks and benefits to you
• Any tests or blood work to be done during the study
• Your compensation
• Your right to refuse treatment or leave a study at any time

The investigators will also discuss when you’ll receive your compensation payments and what happens if you leave a study early. Most studies pay people over time for their compensation, such as after every check-in, visit, or test. This is to ensure people do not feel “forced” into completing a study because they are only paid at the end of the study. As a participant, you’re guaranteed the right to leave a study at any time. However, if you leave a study early, you won’t be paid the maximum amount.

Each clinical trial is different, and investigators take into account the total time commitment for joining the study. As a participant, you can be compensated for:

• Phone call visits you have with the investigators
• In-person visits
• Time for study-related bloodwork, imaging, and other tests
• How long the study lasts
• Time for logging symptoms or tracking information relevant to the study (keeping what is known as a patient diary)

For example, clinical trials that involve answering questions in a phone or in-person interview will tend to pay less than those that require doctor’s office or hospital visits. Other low-paying clinical trials include those that only require providing a specimen, such as saliva, blood, or a nasal swab.

Find Clinical Trials Near Me

Interested in clinical trials? Simply search by postal code and type of condition to see what’s going on in your area.

The condition and risk to you can also affect how much you’ll be paid. For example, healthy volunteers typically join phase 1 clinical trials . These studies are testing an investigational drug, medical procedure, or device that hasn’t been tried in humans before. Given this, there’s likely more risk in these trials than in joining a research study in a later phase. Potentially because of this, Phase 1 clinical trials tend to pay more than other phases — a study found that the median compensation for phase 1 clinical trials is $3,070 (with a range of $150 to $13,000). 2

Even though phase 2 or 3 clinical trials on average may offer less compensation than phase 1, phase 2 or phase 3 trials often still pay hundreds or up to a few thousand dollars per participant. 3

It’s important to know that compensation offered by a clinical trial is meant to cover a participant’s time and risk and is not intended to be a source of income or stipend. Though determining this is a fine line, those who design research studies and set compensation levels try to make sure that they do not offer amounts that would distort people’s decision-making about what is best for them. 1

You should have realistic expectations about compensation as a result of participating in a clinical trial. Researchers have found that it is exceedingly rare for even frequent study participants—those who participate in multiple studies each year, for example— to be paid significant amounts. Even among the most frequent clinical trial participants in one analysis, the median compensation from trial participation was less than $10,000 in a year. 2

If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, be aware that typically, investigators don’t list compensation outright in the description of clinical trials online to avoid unethical recruitment of participants. Instead, you can start by looking for studies you qualify for and are interested in on the studies’ merits, then meet with the investigators to discuss joining.

All clinical trials have inclusion and exclusion criteria you must meet in order to join. Inclusion criteria include being a certain age or having a disease or condition. Exclusion criteria include taking certain medications or having underlying health conditions that can interfere with study results. If you qualify for a study, the investigators will talk to you about compensation for joining as one part of understanding your potential participation.