Nonmedical Expense Reimbursement May Make Cancer Trials More Accessible

THURSDAY, Nov. 12, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Participating in cancer clinical trials can cause financial burdens due to socioeconomic and logistical factors, but reimbursing patients for these nonmedical expenses costs a little more than $2,000 for four months, according to a study published online Nov. 9 in Cancer.

Sukh Makhnoon, Ph.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues analyzed the type, timing, and amounts (in 2024 dollars) of the Lazarex Cancer Foundation”s reimbursement for nonmedical expenses related to therapeutic cancer clinical trial participation.

The researchers identified 2,826 individuals (64 percent non-Hispanic White, 97 percent with health insurance, and a median household income of $50,948) who received at least one reimbursement. Total median per-patient reimbursement was $2,128, and median trial participation duration was 4.3 months. Monthly reimbursed amounts declined substantially throughout trial participation. There was variance in the type of reimbursement by patient income. At lower income levels, internet, ground transportation, and child/elder care were more common. For higher incomes, lodging and airfare were more common. The monthly reimbursed amount was greater among middle-tier household income quartiles, those with greater distance to the trial site, and those participating in phase 1 trials.

“Our findings suggest that these costs are modest compared with what sponsors already spend per participant and decline substantially over time,” Makhnoon said in a statement. “Reimbursing patients for these expenses could be a practical and relatively inexpensive way to reduce financial barriers and make cancer clinical trials more accessible.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries.

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