I've been using Amazon eCodes in my unit for the past year or so. It is definitely preferred to Program Advances due to the simplicity of the process. Currently IRB numbers and supporting documentation are not required. If this becomes part of the policy, there should be additional information on how providing this documentation fits into the process.

Applicability of the Policy: It would be helpful to know more about what the term “confidential studies,” means, as it is not a term we are familiar with from our interactions with IRB. The identities of human subjects participating in most research studies are kept confidential. Is this what is meant by a “confidential study?” If so, this will not be a widely accessible form of payment for human subjects.

Back up documents: For entirely online studies, it would be difficult to obtain written signatures from the participants. Please be more specific, for example, if it might include having the recipient complete an online payment form indicating their expectation to be paid.

Applicability of the Policy: It would be helpful to know more about what the term “confidential studies” means, as it is not a term we are familiar with from our interactions with IRB. The identities of human subjects participating in most research studies are kept confidential. Is this what is meant by a “confidential study?” If so, this will not be a widely accessible form of payment for human subjects.

Back up documents: For entirely online studies, it would be difficult to obtain written signatures from the participants. Please elaborate, for example, if it would it be sufficient for the recipient to complete an online payment form indicating their expectation to be paid.

Upon explaining to a department that this process is meant for Human Subject Payments, she replied:

We were told that it wasn’t a requirement to have an IRB number associated with these especially if they are on state funds as we have projects set up for our MSW, BSW, and Phd budgets in order to pay students to fill out the survey for their respected classes. We were having issues getting students to complete the surveys and this was a recommendation from campus to give them an incentive. Also this is the easier of the two options to do. Since we do not know how many students will complete the survey not to mention we are unable to get gift cards until we know that (and the nightmare of having it put in someone’s name, getting the money and then buying the gift cards, then mailing and hoping they reach their destination) Also since this survey is something we ask them to complete after their classes are over we can’t guarantee where they will be living to mail the card to, but they all have access to email.

I also have this as a option for our students who receive our Fund for Field award. I contacted multiple groups on campus and was informed this was an option we could do. I just have to JV it after the fact to remove it from human subject account codes to awards. Part of the joy of this option is how it is already set up and there are not multiple steps in order to get an advance and all the additional crazy that that entails.

In this particular case it was used as a raffle award to get people involved in work for the particular WECU project. The student would receive an eCode.

I agree that not all of these things should be coded as human subjects, but I still think since we have been told this is an option that these items should be fine to do as long as the money is available and that it is budgeted and an allowable expense on the funds being used

Applicability of the Policy:

• Suggest bolding last sentence as confidentiality is common amongst studies.  

Procedures:

• "custodian of the funding source".  What implications does this have when it comes to e-codes?  Perhaps this means oversight to ensure no misuse of the e-codes & in the event there is misuse this individual is responsible for repayment?  And, maybe this isn't information for the website, but should be on the form, etc. when requesting to set up an account.  For cash advance, this individual was responsible for returning the remaining cash or eating the cost of any un-used gift cards.  Some employees were surprised by these implications in the past.

• Human Subject Study eCode End Date:

  Suggest rewording "reaches its end date it will no longer" to "reaches the end date noted on the setup form it will no longer".  (If this is what it will be based on).

• Back-up Documents
• How, when & to whom is this provided?

Would recommend changing "Back-Up Documents" to "Back-Up Documentation." Also, recommend rewriting that sentence to something like: Back-up documentation should include....

Also, where does this back-up documentation fit into the procedure.

Where is the Amazon eCode Setup form? It's not linked, so hard to provide feedback.

Also, suggest adding into this procedure what account code to use for these. Maybe that's on the Amazon eCode Setup form.

To me, the first sentence under Procedure is confusing.  Should it read "An eCode account must be created in the name...."?   When I read it as is, I'm confused as to how the eCode is created in the PI name but then issued to participants.

It would be helpful that this is clearer that the ecodes are for Amazon.  Amazon is only referenced one time in the document.