Which is true of inducements in research?
Like coercion, undue inducement is easy for IRBs to determine.
Inducements, like coercion, are always inappropriate, as they violate the ethical principle of respect for persons.
Inducements constitute an “undue influence” if they alter a potential subject’s decision-making processes, such that they do not appropriately weigh the risk-benefit relationship of the research.
Offering $10 for an hour long research study constitutes undue inducement.
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer:
Inducements constitute an “undue influence” if they alter a potential subject’s decision-making processes, such that they do not appropriately weigh the risk-benefit relationship of the research.
Explanation (Approximately 300 words):
In the context of research ethics, inducements are offers—typically monetary or material—that are provided to encourage individuals to participate in research. While inducements are not inherently unethical, they become problematic when they exert undue influence on potential participants’ ability to make a voluntary and informed decision about whether to participate.
The key ethical principle at play here is respect for persons, which includes honoring individuals’ autonomy and ensuring informed consent. When an inducement is so attractive that it clouds judgment or encourages someone to take risks they would otherwise avoid, it can compromise the voluntary nature of consent. In such cases, the inducement may be considered undue.
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are responsible for reviewing the ethical aspects of research studies, including how inducements are used. However, determining whether an inducement is undue is not always straightforward. It requires consideration of context, including the socio-economic status of the participants, the level of risk involved in the study, and the nature of the compensation.
For example, offering $10 for participation in a one-hour, low-risk survey is generally not considered undue influence. However, offering a large sum of money to participate in a high-risk clinical trial in a low-income community might be seen as unduly influential, especially if the offer could lead someone to overlook or underestimate the risks.
Thus, the ethical concern with inducements is not about the inducement itself, but its potential to impair a person’s judgment, leading them to accept risks they normally wouldn’t. This makes the statement—“Inducements constitute an ‘undue influence’ if they alter a potential subject’s decision-making processes…”—the most accurate and ethically aligned choice.