Journal article
A “Talent Agency” refers children for research: A case study
Clinical ethics, v 17(2), pp 217-219
Jun 2022
Abstract
Objective
Ethical standards state research participation must be voluntary and free of coercion and undue influence, but what if a third party appears to engage in research-relevant coercion, without the researchers’ knowledge? This case study describes this type of situation and its resolution.
Methods
We are engaged in a randomized clinical trial evaluating pedestrian safety with 7- and 8- years old. Depending on children's rate of learning, families receive up to $1275 for their time. We recently learned a third-party “talent agency,” a firm placing children in modeling and acting jobs, was referring families to our research with the expectation that families would share 20% of study reimbursements.
Results
We sensed clear impropriety, but identified no ethical violations on our part as researchers. Once paid a study reimbursement, participants can spend funds how they wish. We were concerned, however, that the third-party was exploitatively coercing families to participate.
Conclusions
We pursued four avenues to resolve the issue. First, we documented the situation to our university Institutional Review Board. Second, we contacted the talent agency and requested they stop referring families to our research. They agreed. Third, we retained children engaged in our study who were referred from the talent agency; removing them partway through the clinical trial could impact study results. In doing so, we explained that we were unaware of the talent agency referral and that they were not obligated by us to offer a portion of the study reimbursement to the talent agency. Last, we asked newly enrolled families about their referral source.
Metrics
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Details
- Title
- A “Talent Agency” refers children for research: A case study
- Creators
- David C Schwebel - University of Alabama at BirminghamAnna Johnston - University of Alabama at BirminghamLeslie A McClure - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Clinical ethics, v 17(2), pp 217-219
- Publisher
- Sage
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85111632943
- Other Identifier
- 991019174149304721