Costs of Clinical Trial Participation: 2025 Survey Results The Mural Health Patient Kindness Group

Mural Health’s 2025 survey of over 100 U.S. clinical trial participants and caregivers reveals that most individuals join trials seeking life-saving treatment, not financial gain—74% participate for health reasons, while only 2% do so for income. However, participation often brings severe financial strain. Crucially, the burden of these costs disproportionately excludes lower-income households from clinical trials, reducing diversity and accessibility. Reimbursement plays a key role in retention—60% of those who received reimbursements said it directly enabled their continued participation. However, 58% of respondents reported receiving no reimbursement at all.

Another major concern is that financial support is frequently taxed when misclassified as a stipend rather than a reimbursement. Over one-third of stipend recipients were taxed, further penalizing already-strained participants. The report advocates for fair reimbursement practices, tax exemptions like the proposed Harley Jacobsen Act, and patient-centered trial design. Ultimately, Mural Health calls for making trial participation financially neutral to foster equity, improve trial retention, and ensure that all patients—regardless of income—can access potentially life-saving clinical research.