Abstract

As social media use connects more people virtually, that increased connection creates opportunities for researchers to expand their reach for clinical trials. Despite these opportunities, social media is not widely used by clinical researchers. Some researchers have begun using it to enhance recruitment, accelerate community consultations, increase follow up retention, and promote dissemination of results. However, because these techniques are new, their effects on cost and efficiency have not been well studied. Researchers were hopeful that the broad reach of social media could improve clinical trial efficiency and lower costs. Early studies suggest that using social media to recruit participants and to disseminate results is less efficient than expected. Moreover, the lack of regulations on social media use gives rise to certain ethical concerns, such as privacy and coercion. Although there are no legal or regulatory requirements for social media use, researchers can look to the well-established Belmont principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice for how to best incorporate social media into clinical trials while still maintaining ethics. IRBs are used to uphold these principles, but without mandatory regulations, researchers apply the principles inconsistently. Thus, not all uses of social media in clinical trials are justified, and researchers should contemplate the ethical risks and proposed benefits. However, federal regulations specific to social media are necessary because specific regulations would promote effective and safe use of social media in clinical trials.

How to Cite:

Andrea Seach, Ethical and Legal Implications of Social Media Use in Clinical Trials, 6 Ariz. L. J. Emerging Tech., no. 2, 2022, https://doi.org/10.2458/azlawjet.5513