Jenkins, Simon Paul (2023) Offering lottery entry as an incentive for research participation compromises informed consent. Ethics & Human Research, 45 (3). pp. 18-28. doi:10.1002/eahr.500165 ISSN 2578-2363.

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Abstract

This paper argues that offering entry into a lottery as an incentive to those who participate in research studies represents a challenge to the principle of informed, coercion-free consent that is considered an essential ingredient of permissible recruitment to studies. This is, first, because information about the chances of winning in this context is normally unavailable to potential participants and, without this, they cannot accurately weigh up the risks and potential benefits of participation. Second, even when this information is available, such an incentive capitalizes, I contend, on the difficulty of weighing up small probabilities, exploiting the fact that people tend to be beset by cognitive biases that make it challenging to make decisions rationally. The resulting conclusion is that we should not view lotteries as more ethical than simply paying participants, when the latter is feasible.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce K Law [Moys] > KN Common Law, Private Law R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Human experimentation in medicine -- Moral and ethical aspects, Medical ethics, Medicine -- Research -- Moral and ethical aspects, Medical protocols, Informed consent (Medical law) , Incentive awards -- Moral and ethical aspects
Journal or Publication Title:	Ethics & Human Research
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	2578-2363
Official Date:	May 2023
Dates:	Date Event May 2023 Published 11 May 2023 Available 29 November 2022 Accepted
Volume:	45
Number:	3
Page Range:	pp. 18-28
DOI:	10.1002/eahr.500165
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	6 December 2022
Date of first compliant Open Access:	23 May 2023
Related URLs:	Publisher

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