The Importance of Medical Innovation in an Investigator's Decision to Take Part in Clinical Trials

The study draws upon a mail survey of 762 US investigators. Investigators provide a number of reasons for their participation in clinical trials, but this study underscores medical innovation as the most important stimulus. Among other reasons for participating in clinical trials, the prospect of additional financial remuneration plays an important role, especially for office-based investigators. Clinical investigators may be tempted to provide socially valued responses, such as those relating to medical innovation, over more mundane considerations such as finances, as the reason for their taking part in clinical trials. Still, medical innovation figures prominently as a reason why investigators of all types participate in phase 3 clinical trials. This is important in understanding how to recruit experienced investigators, as well as physicians who may be potentially new clinical investigators.