NCT05871125

Identifying Ideal Reimbursement "Dose" to Reduce Clinical Trial-related Financial Toxicity

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 33 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to identify the recommended financial reimbursement amount for women with breast cancer enrolled in a clinical trial. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. What is the recommended financial reimbursement amount in trial-enrolled women with breast cancer experiencing financial toxicity? 2. What do patients think about receiving a reimbursement for trial-incurred expenses? Participants will receive a monthly reimbursement to compensate for their trial-incurred expenses in cohorts, which will de-escalate for the next participant cohort if patients find the reimbursement dose suitable (negative financial toxicity screen, reimbursement dose deemed acceptable/appropriate). Researchers will also use qualitative interviews to explore patient perceptions of the trial reimbursements.

Detailed description

Our overall objective is to innovatively use a dose-finding approach to identify the recommended reimbursement amount for women with breast cancer enrolled in a clinical trial. We hypothesize that optimal reimbursement for trial-related expenses will decrease patient financial toxicity and increase trial retention. The rationale is that understanding the impact of reimbursement for trial-related costs will aid in addressing socioeconomic barriers to trial participation, thus allowing for more diversity in trial enrollment and ensuring equitable efficacy of cancer treatments when used in real-world clinical settings. Aim 1. Identify the recommended reimbursement amount in trial-enrolled women with breast cancer experiencing financial toxicity. We propose a pilot reimbursement dose de-escalation trial (continual reassessment method design; N=30) testing a monthly reimbursement for trial-enrolled patients who screen positive for financial toxicity. We will oversample patients who are Black (50%) or residing in rural locations (50%). Monthly patient-reported financial toxicity and reimbursement acceptability and appropriateness will be captured. Reimbursement dose will start at $1000 and de-escalate if patients find the reimbursement dose suitable (negative financial toxicity screen, reimbursement dose deemed acceptable/appropriate). Aim 2. Explore patient perceptions of trial reimbursement amounts. Using semi-structured interviews, we will explore the effects of reimbursement on specific covered and uncovered trial-related costs, financial toxicity, and current retention and future participation in clinical trials.

Conditions

• Breast Cancer

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Reimbursement	Patients will be dosed in cohorts of 5, with a maximum available sample size of 30. The first cohort of 5 patients will be enrolled at the first reimbursement dose level of $1000 per month for 4 months ($4000 per patient in total). At the end of the 4-month period, reimbursement dose suitability will be determined as suitable by a cumulative negative financial toxicity screen and reimbursement dose deemed acceptable and appropriate in at least 4 patients. If the reimbursement dose is found suitable, we will de-escalate the reimbursement dose for the next cohort of 5 patients. If the reimbursement dose is found unsuitable, the next cohort of 5 patients will be enrolled at the same reimbursement amount ($1000 per month for 4 months).

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-07-01
• Primary completion: 2025-12-01
• Completion: 2025-12-01
• First posted: 2023-05-23
• Last updated: 2025-12-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States