Abstract
The failure of a clinical research project to recruit elderly institutionalized subjects for participation in an experiment designed to evaluate sweat patches for the estimation of digoxin levels is recounted in detail. Of 312 institutionalized patients, all 11 who fulfilled criteria for participation refused for reasons of comfort and/or fear of venesection. The implications of our failure are discussed with special reference to the method of review by the institutional review board and the role of the private physician in advising the potential subject.

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