Focus groups
What is a pre-screener? A plain guide to study invitations
Pre-screeners decide who gets invited to focus groups, interviews and product tests. Here is how they work, and how you are rewarded either way.
Healthcare research: who takes part and how privacy is protected
Healthcare companies, hospitals and public bodies rely on research with patients, carers and healthcare professionals. These studies can be especially meaningful, and they come with extra rules to protect you. Here is what to expect.
Key points
- Healthcare research includes studies with patients, carers and healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
- Health information is treated as sensitive data, with extra protection and explicit consent.
- Healthcare market research is not a clinical trial. You will not be given medicine or treatment.
- If you mention a side effect of a specific medicine, researchers may be required to report it for safety reasons, without sharing your identity unless you agree.
What healthcare market research is
Healthcare market research helps organizations understand the experiences and needs of people involved in care. It might explore:
- how patients live with a condition day to day
- what carers need when supporting a family member
- how doctors decide between treatment options
- how easy it is to use an inhaler, injection pen or health app
- what patients understand from medicine leaflets or health campaigns
The organizations behind these studies include pharmaceutical and medical device companies, healthcare providers, insurers, charities and public health bodies.
Not a clinical trial
It is worth being clear: market research is different from a clinical trial. Clinical trials test whether a medicine or treatment is safe and effective, under strict medical supervision. Market research only asks about experiences, opinions and behaviors. You will never be asked to take a medicine or change your treatment as part of a market research study.
Who takes part
Patients
People living with a particular condition, such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis or migraine. Studies often need people at a certain stage, using a certain type of treatment or diagnosed within a time frame.
Carers
Family members or friends who support someone with a health condition. Their perspective is often overlooked and highly valued.
Healthcare professionals
Doctors, specialists, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals. Professional studies usually involve verification of credentials and offer higher incentives.
How your privacy is protected
Health information is among the most sensitive personal data. Under laws such as the GDPR, it is "special category" data, and under California law it can be "sensitive personal information". In practice, responsible research teams:
- ask for your explicit consent before collecting health information
- explain why the information is needed and how it will be used
- make health questions in your profile optional
- keep health data separate and secure
- never share your identity with the client without your permission
You can review or remove health information from your profile at any time. Our guide to GDPR rights explains how to request a copy or deletion.
Adverse event reporting
This is one of the special rules in healthcare research, and it is worth understanding before you take part.
If a study is sponsored by a pharmaceutical company and you mention a side effect, also called an adverse event, linked to one of its medicines, the research team may be required to pass that information to the company's drug safety team. This helps monitor medicine safety for everyone.
You stay in control of your identity. Adverse events can usually be reported anonymously. You may be asked whether you are willing to share your contact details so the safety team can follow up, and you are free to say no.
Researchers explain this at the start of relevant studies. If you are worried about a side effect yourself, always speak to your doctor or pharmacist. A research study cannot give medical advice.
Being kind to yourself
Talking about health can bring up difficult feelings. You can skip questions, take breaks or stop a study at any time. Good researchers check in with participants and adjust their approach. If a topic is upsetting, it is fine to say so.
Studies with healthcare professionals
For professionals, studies may cover prescribing decisions, product feedback, guidelines, workflows or digital tools. Before taking part, check your employer's policies on paid research. Some organizations require approval or limit the payments staff can accept. Never share identifiable patient information in a study.
Common questions
Will my doctor find out I took part?
No. Your participation is confidential and not shared with your doctor or healthcare provider.
Do I need to prove my diagnosis?
Usually not. Some studies ask detailed questions to confirm you fit, but you are not normally asked for medical records. Never send medical documents unless a study clearly explains why and how they are protected.
Can I take part on behalf of someone I care for?
Carer studies ask about your experience as a carer. If a study needs the patient's own view, they should take part themselves or with your support, with their consent.
