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Background: Participation in first-in-human (FIH) clinical trials is a valuable contribution to science. This study aims to investigate the Saudi public's attitude toward FIH clinical trials, identify their willingness to take part in it, and their preferences for participating in these kinds of trials, given the fact that the Saudi FDA has never approved such studies in Saudi Arabia., Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted in February 2018. It was based on a self-reported survey distributed by convenience among Saudi adults visiting a national festival in Riyadh and through social media. Data were analysed using descriptive and bivariate statistics, as well as linear and binary logistic regression., Results: Study participants who were invited and completed the survey were 657. The percentage mean score of participants' attitudes and concern was 70.1 ± 16.4 and 58.3 ± 15.3 respectively. Almost 71.5% expressed their intention to enroll in such trials. Higher attitudinal scores were reported by those who perceived healthcare services as good/excellent (adj.P < 0.001), and by those who had less concerns (adj.P = 0.005). Less educated participants were 1.75 [1.04-2.93] times more likely to enroll in future clinical trials, adj.P = 0.035. For every one unit increase in the attitudinal score, study participants were 1.03 [1.02-1.04] more likely to enroll in future trials, adj.P < 0.001. In contrary, for every one unit increase in concern scores, the odds of enrollment decreased among study participants by 0.98 [0.97-0.99], adj.P = 0.017. The factors causing people to decline participation were mainly fear of the unknown, social reasons, religious reasons, moral reasons, and the concern over human beings being treated as animals. The preferred duration for participation was 1-3 days (n = 268, 57%). Participants revealed their preferences of clinical trial studies were in favor: (a) vaccines (n = 209, 44.5%); (b) treatment drugs (n = 232, 49.4%); and (c) medical devices (n = 310, 66.0%)., Conclusion: The Saudi public community showed a high level of enthusiasm for participation in future FIH clinical trials, yet they had some reservations. Increasing public awareness about the benefits of clinical trials and conduction process helps to alleviate the concerns of the Saudi people and to increase their likelihood of enrollment., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In summer 2015, a Saudi 1000-bed tertiary care hospital experienced a serious outbreak among patients of Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS); during which, some healthcare providers contracted the virus, but none died. The outbreak provoked not only fear and stress; but also professional, emotional, ethical, and social conflicts and tension among healthcare providers and patients alike. Therefore, this study aims to explore what healthcare providers, who survived coronavirus infection, have experienced as a MERS patient and how the infection affected their relationship with their colleagues. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted individually with seven survivors (healthcare providers). Each interview lasted up to 90min, and the data were analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. Within the participants' rich and illuminating experiences, four themes were identified: caring for others in the defining moments, perceived prejudice behaviours and stigmatization, lived moments of traumatic fear and despair, and denial and underestimation of the seriousness of the disease at the individual and organizational levels. Survivors still suffered as a result of their traumatic experiences, which might negatively influence their performance. As these survivors are vulnerable, it is their organization's responsibility to provide a system that embraces HCPs during and after disastrous events., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)