Compensation Is Engagement: What New DIA/Tufts CSDD Data Means For Keeping Patients In Clinical Trials

By Elizabeth Smith, Director of Product Management, Patient Engagement at Suvoda

Almost every protocol in a DIA/Tufts CSDD analysis of 46 studies combines payment, expense reimbursement, and support. Far fewer sponsors tailor that mix to the burdens a specific patient population actually carries. The data points to uneven practice: North America's median compensation was roughly three times that of Europe, and amounts differ sharply even among studies in the same country. Written from a patient engagement perspective by a Suvoda team member who joined the DIA 2026 panel presenting the findings, the analysis also looks at how payment method and up-front travel costs may shape who stays enrolled, and why benchmarking across phases or therapeutic areas can mislead. Explore the data and consider what it suggests for your next compensation decision.