A researcher gate is a check at the point a visitor enters a research supply site. Before browsing, the visitor is asked to confirm a short set of declarations, for example that they are a qualified buyer and that the products are for laboratory research. A visitor who does not confirm does not continue.
It is one of the simplest controls a research supplier can run. It is also one of the most limited, because the visitor is declaring something about themselves rather than proving it.
What a researcher gate does
- It tells every visitor, before they see any product, who the store sells to.
- It asks for an active confirmation, rather than relying on a notice in the footer.
- It turns away visitors who do not confirm, with a clear message.
- It can record that the declarations were shown and confirmed, if the gate logs them.
What it does not do
A gate is a self-declaration. It does not verify identity, qualifications, the organization a visitor works for, or what they plan to do with a product. Anyone can click confirm.
It also does not change what the rest of your site says. FDA's regulation on intended use, 21 CFR 201.128, describes intended use as shown by labeling claims, advertising matter, oral or written statements and the circumstances of distribution. A gate placed in front of product pages that make consumer claims does not undo those claims. Fix the pages first, using a research-use-only product page checklist.
Nor does a gate replace checks at checkout. A visitor who confirms at the gate may still enter a personal email and a home address when they order. Checkout is where you can compare what the buyer declared with the details they actually give you.
Writing gate declarations
- Keep each declaration short and specific.
- Use plain words a visitor can understand without a glossary.
- Only declare things you also act on later, at checkout.
- Do not pre-select the confirm option.
- Make the gate work with a keyboard and a screen reader. The W3C's forms tutorial recommends associating each label with its control using the label element, which also gives visitors a larger area to click.
- Give visitors who do not qualify a polite way out, with a contact link if they have questions.
How it fits with other controls
A gate works best as the first of several layers. At checkout, the buyer's type, credentials and ship-to address can be checked against your buyer profile, and the buyer can sign a research-use statement. Orders that still look out of place can be held for manual review before payment is captured. See how to verify business and research buyers and buyer attestations, explained.
Claddr's researcher gate is a site-entry check of this kind. Its settings are included in the summary of controls in force when you export your audit record for a date range.