Participants’ perceptions, experiences and the factors motivating their participation with the informed consent process of a Covid-19 vaccine trial in South Africa

Abstract

The informed consent process is an important step in conducting ethical clinical trials, as it ensures that research participants are aware of their rights and responsibilities in clinical trials. This study explored participants’ perceptions, experiences and the factors motivating their participation with the informed consent process of a COVID-19 vaccine trial in South Africa. This descriptive qualitative study was conducted on COVID-19 vaccine study participants between 18 to 65 years, between November 2021 and January 2022. There were 25 participants interviewed for this study. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The data was analysed iteratively using a thematic analysis approach.