# “Deserved Trust”: Perspectives in trust and trustworthiness by biomedical researchers in clinical and translational sciences

## TL;DR

This study explores how biomedical researchers view trust and trustworthiness in clinical and translational sciences, emphasizing the need for genuine community engagement.

## Contribution

The paper introduces perspectives of biomedical researchers on cultivating trust and trustworthiness in a context of declining public trust in science.

## Key findings

- Biomedical researchers emphasize ethical practices and community engagement to build trust.
- Trust and equity are seen as essential for addressing health disparities.
- Earned trust requires more than intentions; it demands actionable efforts and reflection.

## Abstract

Trust in biomedical research is essential, multidimensional, and shaped by individual experiences, culture, and communication. Participants’ trust relies on researchers’ commitment to ethical practices. As public trust in science declines due to misinformation and disinformation campaigns, biomedical researchers (BmRs) must ensure trust and cultivate trustworthiness. This study explores BmR’s perspectives on trust and trustworthiness.

We employed a qualitative, phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of BmRs. Through purposive sampling via the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, we invited BmRs to participate in semi-structured interviews. We employed rapid qualitative analysis (RQA) to identify key themes from interviews with BmRs. This action-oriented approach enables a research team to efficiently summarize experiences and perspectives, using structured templates and matrixes for systematic analysis and interpretation.

Fourteen BmRs were interviewed. Volunteer demographics were collected for race/ethnicity, gender, faculty rank, and investigator experience level. The following domains were identified: individual trust and trustworthiness, institutional trustworthiness, and trust and equity as a crucial part of structural and social drivers of health.

We recognize that BmRs are dedicated to health equity and addressing disparities. However, in addition to committing to “best practices,” BmRs should prioritize actions that foster genuine trust from the communities they serve. More development opportunities are needed for reflection of what it means to be trusted by research volunteers and communities. Furthermore, intentions alone aren’t sufficient; earned trust and trustworthiness are vital.