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Clinical trial volunteer
Research centres look for healthy volunteers to test medicines, with an allowance for time and constraints.
How to get started
- Look for clinical research units and university hospitals near you.
- Sign up as a healthy volunteer and pass the screening check-up.
- Read the full information sheet and ask all your questions before signing.
- Keep the planned days free: some studies require several nights on site.
Skills needed
- No particular skill
Tools and equipment needed
- Nothing in particular
Good tips
- Short outpatient studies are easier to fit around a job.
- A study can range from a single visit to a hospital stay of 2 days to 3 weeks: check the full schedule before you commit.
- You usually have to wait 1 to 3 months between two studies.
Watch out for
- Taking part is a medical decision: talk it over with your GP first, who knows your medical history.
- This is not a job: it is supervised medical research, and you need to understand its constraints and risks.
- You can stop at any time without giving a reason.
Rules to know
France
The allowance compensates for the constraints; it is not a wage. Total allowances cannot exceed €6,000 over 12 consecutive months (order of 15 February 2023); participations are recorded in a national register kept by the Ministry of Health.
Belgium
The allowance is assessed by an ethics committee to compensate for your time and inconvenience; it is never proportional to the risk. You are insured by the trial organiser.
Simplified summary: check the official websites before you start.
How much it pays
Indicative amount, varies with region, experience and demand. Before tax and social contributions.
France
Estimate not available
No reliable source found yet: we prefer not to give a figure.
Belgium
Estimate Up to €5000 per assignment (payment)
Allowance per phase I or II study at a Belgian centre: from a few hundred euros to €4,000 or €5,000, depending on duration and constraints. The amount is approved by an ethics committee.
Source: Inokura (Belgian clinical research centre): becoming a volunteer · Checked on 1 Nov 2026
Where to find opportunities and information
- Santé.fr: allowances for clinical trial participants (France)
The legal cap of €6,000 in allowances over 12 months and the national register of volunteers. - FAMHP: rights and duties of clinical trial participants (Belgium)
Voluntary participation, the right to stop at any time, an allowance assessed by an ethics committee, insurance.