Patient-Funded Trials: Opportunity or Liability?

Danielle Marie Wenner; Jonathan Kimmelman; Alex John London

doi:10.1016/j.stem.2015.07.016

Patient-Funded Trials: Opportunity or Liability?

Cell Stem Cell. 2015 Aug 6;17(2):135-7. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.07.016.

Authors

Danielle Marie Wenner¹, Jonathan Kimmelman², Alex John London³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Philosophy and Center for Ethics and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
² Studies of Translation, Ethics and Medicine (STREAM), Biomedical Ethics Unit, Social Studies of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1X1, Canada.
³ Department of Philosophy and Center for Ethics and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: jonathan.kimmelman@mcgill.ca.

PMID: 26253199
DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2015.07.016

Abstract

Patient-funded trials (PFTs) are gaining traction as a means of accelerating clinical translation. However, such trials sidestep mechanisms that promote rigor, relevance, efficiency, and fairness. We recommend that funding bodies or research institutions establish mechanisms for merit review of patient-funded trials, and we offer some basic criteria for evaluating PFT protocols.

MeSH terms

Clinical Trials as Topic / economics*
Goals
Humans
Motivation