If you compensate participants in clinical trials as part of your research, review this page for information you need to know.

Scrip is the preferred payment method used to compensate participants in clinical trials. Scrip is like a check but offers the recipient more flexibility, control, and confidentiality. The name of the payee is not printed on scrip, so it should be secured like cash.

Use scrip when payment must:

• Be confidential
• Be paid at the time of participation
• Limit personal data about the recipient

Scrip is:

• Issued by Disbursements on request from department scrip coordinators
• Standardized with serial numbers
• Printed quickly upon request
• Ordered in specified denominations
• Tracked, audited, and controlled with ease
• A confidential method of paying clinical trial participants
• Tax reportable when necessary
• Redeemable with no ID at UCSD Medical Center Cashier, first floor (map); Central Cashier (map); or a Wells Fargo Bank

Department scrip coordinators are designated by the department and are typically administrators overseeing a trial or series of trials. Department scrip coordinators are accountable for scrip use, as follows:

• Ordering, controlling, and distributing scrip
• Reconciling scrip distribution
• Returning scrip

The Disbursements scrip coordinator is responsible for issuing, verifying, distributing, auditing, and reconciling the scrip account.

Note: An alternative method for paying clinical trial participants is via Payment Authorization.

Need an expert? Contact Tracy Buchanan, (858) 534-6536.