IRB – Research with Human Participants: Using Incentives

Before offering incentives in exchange for research participation, please familiarize yourself with the following policies.

Prize Drawings

Can I use prize drawings as an incentive for participation in a research project?

Yes. Although the Office of General Counsel for the A&M System discourages this practice, incentives may be provided in the following circumstances:

• The compensation is not enough to be considered an inducement (i.e., it is fairly minimal);
• The participant is not told that completion of the study is necessary to be entered into the drawing; and
• The time, effort and inconvenience to the participant is not substantial.

This applies to all research, not just research deemed exempt by the institutional review board (IRB). The IRB chair and committee can ask for changes to any incentive, and final authority for approving or denying the use of any incentive resides with the ETAMU Research Compliance Officer, Cece Gassner.

Gift Cards

Can I give gift cards to subjects who participate in the study?

Yes, although the compensation should be commensurate to the effort. In addition, a record of each gift card distributed must be kept that includes the recipient's name, gift card number and indication that informed consent was received from the recipient as part of the study records that are kept for three years.

For Gift Log forms, contact Accounts Payable.

Sample Language

Sample language that could be used on a consent form is given below:

Participants in the study will receive a $__ gift card. A record of each gift card distributed will be kept that includes:

• recipient name/study code number;
• gift card number;
• indication that informed consent was received from the recipient.

This record will be kept for three years after the study is closed.