title: Patient-Funded Trials: Opportunity or Liability?
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy and Center for Ethics and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle Marie
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wenner
authors.affiliation: Studies of Translation, Ethics and Medicine (STREAM), Biomedical Ethics Unit, Social Studies of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1X1, Canada.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kimmelman
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy and Center for Ethics and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: jonathan.kimmelman@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Alex John
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: London
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics*; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation