Safety and financial compensation are top priorities for people considering clinical trials, new polling finds

A recent national poll from the PAN Foundation’s Center for Patient Research finds that safety and financial compensation are the top priorities for people considering clinical trials.

Safety is by far the most important aspect with 57 percent ranking it as most important, followed by financial compensation, with 11 percent ranking it as most important.

Additional findings from the poll

Financial compensation is a priority for adults under 65

Adults under 65 are more likely to include the availability of financial compensation in their top three priorities when considering a clinical trial, compared to those 65 and older: 47 percent of 18-34 year-olds, 50 percent of 35-44 year-olds, 48 percent of 45-54 year-olds, and 44 percent of 55-64 year-olds, compared to 36 percent of those 65 and older.

Safety is a priority for those new to clinical trials

Individuals without personal experience with clinical trials are more likely to rank safety as one of their top three priorities (78 percent) when considering a clinical trial compared to those with personal experience (68 percent). Those with personal experience with clinical trials are more likely to rank access to childcare as one of their top three priorities (15 percent) when considering a clinical trial compared to those without personal experience (6 percent).

Black and Hispanic adults prioritize access to treatments

When considering participating in a clinical trial, Black and Hispanic adults are more likely to prioritize access to potential treatments (23 percent each, compared to 16 percent of white adults) and access to childcare (18 percent and 15 percent, compared to 4 percent of white adults).

“These findings underscore the critical role that safety education and financial compensation play in the decision-making process for potential clinical trial participants,” said Amy Niles, Chief Mission Officer. “These results also highlight the need for social support, such as childcare, for communities who face unique barriers to healthcare access.”

When equipped with the right information and support, individuals can make more informed decisions about their healthcare and clinical trial participation. This is why the PAN Foundation remains committed to ensuring that everyone has the tools and resources they need to learn about, access, and navigate clinical trials.

Polling methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States between January 15 and January 17, 2025, among 2,083 adults (aged 18 and over) by The Harris Poll on behalf of PAN Foundation via its Harris on Demand omnibus product. Included in the 2,083 adults were 1,369 adults with any chronic condition, defined as those who self-report having been diagnosed by a healthcare provider with at least one of several specific chronic conditions. Data were weighted where necessary by age, gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, household income, [employment], and political party affiliation, to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within + 2.5 percentage points using a 95 percent confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

The survey was conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age, and race by educational attainment. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

About the PAN Foundation

As a leading charitable foundation and healthcare advocacy organization, the PAN Foundation is dedicated to accelerating access to treatment for those who need it most and empowering patients on their healthcare journeys. We provide critical financial assistance for treatment costs, advocate for policy solutions that expand access to care, and deliver education on complex topics—all driven by our belief that everyone deserves access to affordable, equitable healthcare. 

Since 2004, our financial assistance programs have helped more than 1.2 million people to start or stay on life-changing treatment. In addition, we’ve achieved major policy victories that increase access to care, mobilized patient advocates to call for change, and educated people nationwide on critical healthcare-related topics. We’re committed to working toward a future where equitable health outcomes are a reality for all.