A comment on participant reimbursement within Australian drug and alcohol research

Abstract

Financial reimbursement for participation in drug and alcohol research has long been considered appropriate and is standard practice in Australia. However, there is currently little guidance around appropriate reimbursement practices for drug and alcohol research, including from scientific directives, such as the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) and STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) statements.

Greater discussion and consideration for guidance regarding appropriate reimbursement is warranted across the drug and alcohol research sector, and consumers must play a central role in such a process. Without input from consumers, in determining whether participants should be reimbursed for research participation and the type and value of that reimbursement, researchers are inadvertently assessing the ‘value’ of the participant. Finally, research reports should be more transparent in their reporting of participant payment to increase scientific rigour and reproducibility.