If you live with diabetes (or care for someone who does), you’ve probably had moments where you thought: “Why is this device designed like this?” or “If researchers could just see what real life looks like, they’d get it.”
That’s exactly why diabetes research panels exist.
A research panel (sometimes called a registry or research community) is a way to raise your hand and say, “I’m willing to be contacted for studies that fit me.”
Studies can be as quick as a short survey, or as involved as an interview, focus group, or at-home product test. Participation is optional, and you can say no to any invitation.
Below are three reputable options, T1D Exchange, Rare Patient Voice, and Thrivable, plus what each one is, how it helps the diabetes community, and what you can personally get out of joining.
Why sign up for a diabetes research panel at all?
Because research doesn’t just happen in labs—it happens (or should happen) in the real world: at work, at school pickup, during travel days, on the nights when alarms won’t stop, and in the everyday trade-offs you make around food, insulin, supplies, cost, and burnout.
When people with diabetes participate in research, it can help:
- Improve devices, apps, and education so they match real-life needs
- Surface gaps in care and access that don’t show up in clinical charts
- Accelerate the development of treatments and better standards of care
- Generate evidence that can influence coverage and policy decisions
T1D Exchange Registry
What it is
The T1D Exchange Registry is a long-term (longitudinal) research study designed to capture the experiences and challenges of people affected by type 1 diabetes.
It’s open to adults with T1D and caregivers of children with T1D living in the United States, and it connects participants with curated research opportunities through a dashboard.
How it helps people with diabetes
By collecting ongoing information (including annual questionnaires and optional opportunities), the Registry helps build a richer picture of what living with T1D looks like over time—supporting research into management, outcomes, and quality of life.
It also helps researchers find eligible participants faster, which can accelerate studies that matter to the community.
What you get from signing up and participating
- A way to make your voice heard and contribute to research that can improve T1D care and policy
- A dashboard of research opportunities you can opt into (surveys and in-person studies may be available depending on fit)
- Options to participate beyond surveys, such as sharing device data (like CGM data) or joining internet-based studies—if you choose
Sign up for the T1D Exchange Registry
Rare Patient Voice (RPV)
What it is
Rare Patient Voice connects patients and caregivers with research opportunities (interviews, surveys, and online communities) so researchers can build medical products and services that reflect patient needs.
Despite the name, RPV explicitly accepts non-rare diagnoses and includes diabetes-focused recruitment.
How it helps people with diabetes
RPV makes it easier for researchers to hear directly from people living with diabetes and caregivers, especially about daily realities that can be missed in traditional research. That feedback can influence what gets built, how it’s designed, and what support is prioritized.
What you get from signing up and participating
- Paid opportunities: RPV states that participants typically earn $120/hour for studies
- Variety in formats: interviews, surveys, and online communities
- Flexibility: you may hear nothing for a while or get multiple invites close together—participation depends on study needs and your fit
- Practical note: if you earn $600+ in a calendar year, they note IRS reporting requirements (Form 1099)
Sign up for Rare Patient Voice
Thrivable
What it is
Thrivable is a diabetes research community where members can be invited to participate in paid research activities, ranging from short online surveys to virtual focus groups, interviews, and even in-person or in-home product testing for new diabetes products.
How it helps people with diabetes
Thrivable’s model puts real user experience in front of the teams designing diabetes products and services. That can mean better usability, fewer “why would anyone do it this way?” design choices, and more realistic solutions that work in everyday life.
What you get from signing up and participating
- Compensation: Thrivable says you can earn up to $75/hour for online activities and up to $2,000+ per study for certain in-person/in-home product testing opportunities
- Clear expectations: they note participation is voluntary, and many studies are non-interventional
- You’ll typically know compensation before agreeing to participate, and incentives may be points/gift cards, depending on the study
Tips to make research panels work for you (without burning out)
- Join more than one panel. More panels = more chances to match with studies that fit your diagnosis, tech, age, location, and lived experience.
- Keep your profile updated. Eligibility often depends on details like device use, insulin delivery method, and demographics. (Even small changes can matter.)
- Treat invitations like optional invites, not obligations. You’re allowed to ignore, decline, or stop at any time.
- Protect your energy. Pick the studies that feel worth it—whether that’s impact, compensation, convenience, or all three.
Diabetes research is better when it includes people who live with it.
Signing up for panels like T1D Exchange, Rare Patient Voice, and Thrivable is one of the simplest ways to turn your day-to-day knowledge into measurable impact, while often getting compensation, a sense of purpose, and the satisfaction of shaping what comes next.
If you know of any other research panels or opportunities, please share them in the comments so that I can include them in this list.
