BACKGROUND Compensating participants of biomedical research is a common practice. However, its proximity with ethical concerns of coercion, undue influence, and exploitation, demand that participant compensation be regulated. The objective of this paper is to discuss the current regulations for compensation of research participants in Malawi and how they can be improved in relation to ethical concerns of coercion, undue influence, and exploitation. MAIN TEXT In Malawi, national regulations recommend that research subjects be compensated with a stipend of US$10 per study visit. However, no guidance is provided on how this figure was determined and how it should be implemented. While necessary to prevent exploitation, the stipend may expose the very poor to undue influence. The stipend may also raise the cost of doing research disadvantaging local researchers and may have implications on studies where income stipend is the intervention under investigation. We recommend that development and implementation of guidelines of this importance involve interested parties such as the research community and patient groups. CONCLUSION Compensating human research subjects is important but can also act as a barrier to voluntary participation and good research efforts. Deliberate measures need to be put in place to ensure fair compensation of research participants, avoid their exploitation and level the field for locally funded research.

中文翻译：

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资源有限环境中参与生物医学研究的受试者的补偿：马拉维实践的讨论。

背景技术对生物医学研究的参与者进行补偿是一种常见的做法。然而，它与胁迫、不当影响和剥削等道德问题密切相关，要求对参与者的报酬进行监管。本文的目的是讨论马拉维研究参与者报酬的现行规定，以及如何改进这些规定，以解决胁迫、不当影响和剥削等道德问题。主要文本 在马拉维，国家法规建议研究对象每次研究访问应获得 10 美元的津贴。但是，没有就如何确定该数字以及如何实施提供指导。虽然对于防止剥削是必要的，但津贴可能会使赤贫者受到不当影响。津贴还可能会增加研究成本，使当地研究人员处于不利地位，并可能对以收入津贴为调查干预措施的研究产生影响。我们建议研究界和患者团体等感兴趣的各方参与制定和实施如此重要的指南。结论 补偿人类研究对象很重要，但也可能成为自愿参与和良好研究工作的障碍。需要采取深思熟虑的措施，确保研究参与者得到公平的报酬，避免他们受到剥削，并为当地资助的研究创造条件。