One of the first questions every brand founder asks is: what does a clinical trial actually cost? And it’s almost never answered directly: most CROs will only tell you after a discovery call, and universities often won’t give you a number at all.

This guide gives you the honest answer, including the variables that affect cost and the ranges you can expect for different study types.

The short answer: £40,000 to £120,000

Most clinical trials for nutrition and supplement brands in the UK fall somewhere in this range. Where your study sits within it depends on four key variables: study duration, number of participants, outcome measures, and the complexity of your protocol.

A shorter remote study, such as an 8-week intervention measuring cognitive function or a metabolic marker via at-home blood collection, typically runs between £40,000 and £65,000. A longer randomised controlled trial with multiple blood biomarkers, a larger participant cohort, and a more complex protocol will be closer to £80,000 to £120,000.

What drives the cost of a clinical trial

Clinical trial costs are not arbitrary. Each line item corresponds to a real operational task. Understanding what you are paying for helps you make better decisions about where to invest and where to economise.

1. Protocol design and study management

Every trial begins with a protocol: a detailed document defining the research question, study population, outcome measures, statistical analysis plan, and data collection procedures. This is not a template exercise: it requires specialist scientific knowledge and typically takes two to four weeks. Protocol design costs are included in your total study fee with StudySetGo.

2. Ethics submission and approval

All clinical research involving human participants requires ethical approval from an independent review board before recruitment can begin. In the UK this is typically a Research Ethics Committee (REC) or equivalent. Submission fees range from £1,500 to £3,000 depending on the board. StudySetGo submits to independent ethics boards rather than university committees, which significantly reduces approval time.

3. Participant recruitment

Recruiting the right participants to the right criteria is often the biggest variable in trial cost and timeline. StudySetGo operates a UK-wide participant network, which reduces both the cost and the time required to recruit. Studies requiring rare or highly specific inclusion criteria (e.g. post-menopausal women with diagnosed insulin resistance) will cost more to recruit than studies with broader criteria.

4. Data collection and outcome measures

Blood biomarkers collected at a clinic cost more than questionnaires completed on a phone. Wearable-derived data is lower cost but requires validated devices. The number and type of outcome measures you choose directly affects cost. Our industry page lists all the outcome measures we support and the collection methods used.

5. Statistical analysis and manuscript preparation

Once data collection is complete, a statistician analyses the data against your pre-specified endpoints and a scientific writer prepares the manuscript for peer-reviewed publication. Both are included in a StudySetGo trial package.

Fixed costs: what you always pay

Regardless of study size, there are baseline costs that apply to every trial. These include:

These fixed overheads mean that smaller studies are not proportionally cheaper. There is a floor cost below which a credible, publishable trial cannot be delivered.

“The question isn’t whether you can afford clinical evidence. The question is whether you can afford to be the brand in your category without it.”

Nathan Phillips, CEO, StudySetGo

How to think about return on investment

A clinical trial is not a cost centre. It is a commercial asset that continues generating return for years after the study completes. Published peer-reviewed evidence typically unlocks:

Most brands that commission a study with StudySetGo recover the study cost within 12–18 months of publication through one or more of the above channels.

Milestone billing: how payment works

StudySetGo uses milestone-based billing rather than a single upfront payment. The standard structure is:

This structure protects your cash flow and ensures that both parties are aligned on hitting milestones throughout the project.

Getting an accurate quote

The most accurate way to understand what your study will cost is to book a discovery call. We will ask about your product, the claim you want to make, and any specific outcome measures you have in mind. From there we can design Bronze, Silver, and Gold options tailored to your budget and evidence goals, usually within 48 hours of the call.

See our full pricing page for published tier information, or book a call to get a quote specific to your product.

Frequently asked questions

Most trials for nutrition and supplement brands range from £40,000 to £120,000 depending on study type, duration, number of participants, and outcome measures. A short remote study typically falls in the £40,000–£65,000 range; a longer RCT with blood biomarkers and a larger cohort will be closer to £80,000–£120,000.

Fixed costs include ethics board fees (£1,500–£3,000), trial management software, trial sponsorship and regulatory compliance, insurance, statistical analysis, and manuscript preparation. These apply regardless of study size and represent the baseline below which a publishable trial cannot be delivered.

For brands targeting retail listings, running compliant ads, or raising investment, clinical evidence typically generates a return many times the study cost. A single Boots listing can generate millions in incremental revenue. The evidence continues paying commercial dividends for years after the study completes.

Milestone billing splits payment across the project: 80% at contract signature, 10% at ethics approval, and 10% at data delivery. This protects your cash flow and aligns incentives throughout the project. StudySetGo uses this model as standard.