The Challenge
Clinical trials are essential to advancing medical knowledge, but recruiting and retaining participants is an ongoing challenge,
particularly when incentives must comply with strict ethical guidelines. Studies show that offering incentives leads to higher response rates and consent rates among potential participants. One Florida-based teaching hospital found a simple, scalable solution through gThankYou grocery certificates.
To remain compliant with Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements, trial incentives must be:
- Non-coercive
- Modest in value
- Aligned with ethical standards
At the same time, incentives need to be meaningful enough to motivate participation, especially in long-term or multi-visit studies. Administrative burden was also a concern as the hospital’s trials included participants across multiple sites.
The Solution: gThankYou
The hospital adopted gThankYou grocery certificates as a clinical trial incentive. These certificates checked all the boxes for ethical compliance and operational efficiency:
- Flexible for participants: Recipients can use them at virtually any grocery store, choosing the food that best fits their dietary needs or preferences.
- IRB-compliant: Certificates are non-cash, modest in value, and tied to participation milestones without undue influence.
- Simple to administer: Distributing certificates is easier and more secure than managing cash or checks, especially with geographically dispersed study sites.
Program Execution
The hospital integrated gThankYou grocery certificates into its clinical trial process as a reward for participant milestones such as completing a screening, attending follow-up appointments, or finishing the study.
Research coordinators distributed the certificates either in person or by mail, depending on the participant’s location.
The program also offered flexibility in value and timing, allowing the research team to align certificate distribution with study phases and IRB-approved incentive plans. With clear tracking and minimal logistics, staff could focus more on patient care and data quality—and less on back-end processing.
Results and Impact
Using gThankYou certificates allowed the hospital to:
- Improve participant engagement and retention
- Reduce no-show rates and keep studies on schedule
- Simplify administrative processes for clinical staff
- Stay aligned with ethical and regulatory standards
“gThankYou certificates hit the sweet spot. They’re appreciated by participants, easy to manage, and help us meet our research goals without compromising ethics.”— Clinical Research Coordinator
Why gThankYou
Incentives don’t have to be complicated or risky. With gThankYou certificates, research teams can offer meaningful rewards that promote participation while protecting integrity and compliance.
