Research Participant Payments

1. Purpose

This Regulation establishes the Greenphire ClinCard System as the University’s payment method of choice to compensate and/or reimburse human subjects for participating in a research study. The Greenphire ClinCard System meets IRS reporting regulations and the confidentiality required with certain human participant research studies. Allowable expenses may include, but are not limited to, stipend, transportation, and subsistence. This regulation applies to all funding sources.

2. Definitions

• 2.1 Research participant payments: payments to human research subjects (participants) for their participation in research. Payment for participation in a study is not considered a benefit; it is compensation for time, effort and study-related expenses. It may be considered a recruitment incentive in some cases.
• 2.2 Greenphire ClinCard System: a third-party system used by the University to make secure payments to research participants and meet confidentiality and IRS reporting regulations. This system has been reviewed and approved by the:
  • 2.2.1 Identity Theft Protection Committee (ITPC), that ensures the system complies with legal requirements governing social security numbers and personally identifiable information.
  • 2.2.2 Clinical Information Steering Committee (CIS), that ensures the system meets HIPAA standards.
• 2.3 ClinCard: a reloadable debit card that replaces a check, gift card and/or cash payment to research participants.

3. Scope

This Regulation applies to all research participant payments, regardless of amount, that are supported or administered by, or otherwise affiliated with, East Carolina University. This Regulation applies to all individuals, including, but not limited to faculty, staff, students, postdoctoral scholars, volunteers and affiliated researchers, who conduct research involving human subjects.

4. Requirements

The Greenphire ClinCard System is the approved mechanism for monetary compensation of participants in research studies conducted at ECU. All new and existing studies issuing research participant payments are required to use this payment method unless an exception is requested and approved. Anonymous questionnaires or surveys that offer incentives of $50 dollars or less are generally exempted from the Greenphire process; however, an exception request is still required. At times, due to the research protocol, an alternative renumeration methodology may be required. Under these circumstances permission to utilize another payment method other than the ClinCard method, will require approval by the Vice Chancellor, Division of Research, Economic Development and Engagement at ECU, or their designee.

The standard operating practices, which are available on the Greenphire website, provide details on the exception process, tax reporting requirements and procedures for accessing and using the Greenphire ClinCard System.