Healthcare workers' reasons for choosing between two different COVID-19 prophylaxis trials in an acute pandemic context: Results from an online survey.

BACKGROUND: In April 2020, two independent clinical trials (CT) to assess SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis in healthcare workers were started in our Hospital: MeCOVID (melatonin vs placebo) and EPICOS (tenofovir disoproxil/emtricitabine vs hydroxychloroquine vs the combination of both vs placebo).

OBJECTIVE: We aim to evaluate the motivations to participate and the reasons to choose one or another.

METHODS: Both CTs were offered to personnel through the internal news bulletin. After the screening visit, all subjects were asked to answer a web-based survey.

RESULTS: In the first month, 206 healthcare workers were screened and 160 randomized. Survey participation was quite high, 73.3%. The main motivation to participate was "to contribute to scientific knowledge" 53.0%, followed by "to avoid SARS-CoV-2 infection" and "the interest to be tested for SARS-CoV-2". We found differences between physicians and nurses in the expected personal benefits (P=.01). The vast majority of volunteers selected the MeCOVID study, the main reason was the fear of adverse reactions associated with treatments in EPICOS, 69.4%.

CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare workers´ motivations to participate in prophylaxis trials in a pandemic context appear to be driven mostly by their desire to contribute to science and to gain some health benefits. Safety seems to weight way more than efficacy when choosing between CTs.