to consider doing a medical trial?

mrsfindlay · 2023-07-13T19:17:06+00:00

Has anyone ever done / considered this ? I'm basically in a stuation where I can just about afford to live and pay my bills every month but I'm unable to save and I feel like the chances of me ever owning a property are getting smaller every day. Theres a website I found that offer "compensation" for taking part in their medical trials (mainly trying new medications) some offer 5K. Am I foolish to consider this ?

girljulian · 13/07/2023 22:29

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 22:25

How did you sign up? And did you get paid ?

Show quote history

I was on a mailing list that was always recruiting. I got paid £4K for one and about £2.5k for the others. There was no in-patient, but they ran for about a year each. This was the clinic, they have some smaller trials currently: https://www.jenner.ac.uk/volunteer/recruiting-trials

there are always other trials being run by London University hospitals if you look around. I’d trust these more than commercial drug trials.

Recruiting Trials — The Jenner Institute

https://www.jenner.ac.uk/volunteer/recruiting-trials

CarpetSlipper · 13/07/2023 22:26

I know a couple of people who did several while at uni. They got paid around 2k. Some involved a couple of weeks being monitored in hospital and others involved going to the hospital every couple of days for a few weeks. You may not even be given the drug but you don’t usually know if you’re in the placebo group or not. I wouldn’t want to do it personally but the people I know who have done it experienced no adverse effects and were closely monitored during the trial.

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 22:25

girljulian · 13/07/2023 22:22

I’ve done four vaccine trials at universities. Never suffered any ill effects and in fact got a free MOT each time.

How did you sign up? And did you get paid ?

OP posts:

girljulian · 13/07/2023 22:22

I’ve done four vaccine trials at universities. Never suffered any ill effects and in fact got a free MOT each time.

Annaishere · 13/07/2023 22:19

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:57

Do you remember where you've seen these ?

Show quote history

No but found through Google search individual companies rather than in medical trials directories

StillWantingADog · 13/07/2023 22:18

The vaccine trial lasted about 6 months I think we had a visit for blood tests once a month or so. It wasn’t particularly onerous for me as I didn’t work during the pandemic but the participants found it a bit of a pita as every time we were there for 1-2 hours

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 22:17

WTFAreYouForReal · 13/07/2023 22:12

No way on earth would I do this.

Remember that trial where all those mens heads swelled up and they died or something?

Fuck that.

I know, the risk is what has put me off in the past

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 22:16

StillWantingADog · 13/07/2023 22:10

I would as long as you ask as many questions as you need to to fully understand the risks

I was a Guinea pig for one of the covid vaccines. That was run by the nhs so unpaid.

an ex did the type where you stay in a hospital for 2 weeks. He was bored shitless but came out the other end with £2k (this was a very long time ago) and no side effects whatsoever

Howblong did you trial last ? 2 weeks does sound off putting but I guess you could try and put a positive spin on it and try to make the best of it (get on top of life admin, read, start a craft, binge a few netflix shows)

OP posts:

WTFAreYouForReal · 13/07/2023 22:12

No way on earth would I do this.

Remember that trial where all those mens heads swelled up and they died or something?

Fuck that.

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 22:12

Fruitloopcowabunga · 13/07/2023 20:51

If you live near a tertiary (specialist) dermatology hospital, they are always looking for research volunteers. You'll get left with little scars where they take the samples of skin but easier than having to spend 10 days in closed conditions.

Do you know any more about this) (location of the hospitals/ how to apply for the trials) I've just spent a while googling and can't seem to find much?

OP posts:

StillWantingADog · 13/07/2023 22:10

I would as long as you ask as many questions as you need to to fully understand the risks

I was a Guinea pig for one of the covid vaccines. That was run by the nhs so unpaid.

an ex did the type where you stay in a hospital for 2 weeks. He was bored shitless but came out the other end with £2k (this was a very long time ago) and no side effects whatsoever

miniegg3 · 13/07/2023 22:07

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:57

Do you remember where you've seen these ?

Show quote history

Try looking at flu Camp,I know that's one

miniegg3 · 13/07/2023 22:07

I looked into it in the past but all London based so no good for me. I'd probably have given it a go though

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:57

Annaishere · 13/07/2023 20:47

Could be a good idea. I’ve seen flu trials for 2k

Do you remember where you've seen these ?

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:56

Asdf12345 · 13/07/2023 20:24

Go for it. Low pay (tends to work out around minimum wage), and fewer options for women, but it can be a useful way to make a few quid. You will be limited in how many trials you can do a year so it’s hard to make a living out of nothing but trials, but if you have suitably flexible/remote work it can be combined with other work.

My work is remote luckily so I might be able to make it work. Doing the odd couple might give me a bit of a boost towards a house deposit

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:39

Zepherine · 13/07/2023 20:21

I know someone who has done a fair few and it doesn’t seem to have done him much harm as far as I know. They do have to stay in a hospital setting for about 10 days for some of the trials (it varies) and it can be very boring, apparently. Food isn’t great either. I wouldn’t do it as my tolerance for boredom is low.

Yeah a lot of the trials I've seen include a hospital stay for this length of time. Plus additional visits afterwards. I wonder of you are allowed to leave the facility at all?

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:36

Fruitloopcowabunga · 13/07/2023 20:51

If you live near a tertiary (specialist) dermatology hospital, they are always looking for research volunteers. You'll get left with little scars where they take the samples of skin but easier than having to spend 10 days in closed conditions.

Ohh that's something to consider, thanks!

OP posts:

Original poster

mrsfindlay · 13/07/2023 21:36

Handsnotwands · 13/07/2023 21:16

I’d be so up for this. Where do you find out about them?

www.trials4us.co.uk/ongoing-clinical-trials

This is the website I've been looking at. I think they are all based at London Bridge

OP posts:

Handsnotwands · 13/07/2023 21:16

I’d be so up for this. Where do you find out about them?

Fruitloopcowabunga · 13/07/2023 20:51

If you live near a tertiary (specialist) dermatology hospital, they are always looking for research volunteers. You'll get left with little scars where they take the samples of skin but easier than having to spend 10 days in closed conditions.

Annaishere · 13/07/2023 20:47

Could be a good idea. I’ve seen flu trials for 2k

AlligatorPsychopath · 13/07/2023 20:44

Unicorn2022 · 13/07/2023 20:35

I wouldn't do it in a million years. Money will come and go throughout your life but you can't put a price on your health. Whenever I think about drug trials I remember the awful elephant man drug a few years back.

Generally if it seems like something is paying a lot of money for what it is, in reality it's probably paying nowhere near enough.

It was seventeen years ago, and Phase I trial protocols were tightened significantly in response. It was (rightly) regarded as a catastrophe, and steps were taken to try and prevent it ever happening again. These trials take place constantly; you remember that one precisely because it's so rare for them to go disastrously wrong.

There's always some degree of risk, obviously, but most people routinely do things that probably risk their health more than drug trials. Like drink alcohol, and carry extra weight, and drive.

Unicorn2022 · 13/07/2023 20:35

I wouldn't do it in a million years. Money will come and go throughout your life but you can't put a price on your health. Whenever I think about drug trials I remember the awful elephant man drug a few years back.

Generally if it seems like something is paying a lot of money for what it is, in reality it's probably paying nowhere near enough.

zerored · 13/07/2023 20:32

I wouldn't gamble your health

Wildspace · 13/07/2023 20:32

If you can, do it! Really vital for medical advances. Thank you for considering it.