Have you ever taken part in a medical trial?

[Sezza57325]

What was it, how did you find it and did it pay much?

I’m considering doing one with two well-studied medications but it’s 6 months, doesn’t pay a huge amount and the side effects are potentially a bit rubbish.
Just wanted to ask for fun because I don’t know anyone whose done one

No but someone I knew did a trial of a vaccine that combined Covid and typhoid. The vaccine didn’t work and She contracted typhoid. Every time she gets a fever she has to go to the hospital and provide poo samples. She’s had so many antibiotics she contracted C-diff earlier this year. I think she got paid £4K which I suppose feels like a decent amount but it’s nothing in comparison to you value of your health.

Please tred with caution, it seems a gamble to play with your health and there is so much of the unknown with all of this

When I was at uni in the late 70's a group of housemates (not close so details vary) were offered a 4 month observation trial (quick exam and questionnaire type thing weekly) after taking a daily tablet to prevent sunburn. Think they were paid £500 and all went ok except for 1 male who grew an actual tail and had to have it surgically removed. He successfully sued and had to sign a non disclosure form and set up a wildlife sanctuary with the proceeds

There was a great deal of publicity about the drugs trial at Northwick Park a few years back, where some of the participants lost their fingers and toes. Due to gangrene, I think.

Applied and was rejected
Paid £100 for my trouble.

I did an asthma trial about 20 years ago. I can’t remember much about it, but it involved regular bloods and I wasn’t allowed to eat anything with poppy seeds as they showed up as opioids. The pay was ok for the time, but it was an already licenced drug with a different use so little risk.

I'm sorry but that sounds like a total urban legend.

I was in one of the early Covid vaccine trials. It wasn’t paid and we weren’t deliberately exposed to Covid- just one group who had the vaccine and one who had the placebo (a meningitis vaccine) and then we had to do weekly Covid tests and send them off for monitoring. Pleased to have done it, made me feel useful during a shitty time.

I work in research and have taken part in many research studies- not clinical trials, but brain scanning experiments etc. also cohort studies. It is all interesting and in the uk there are v strict rules around ethics and protecting participants. Read the paperwork carefully and see if you want to signup. If this trial doesn’t suit you, another might.

Yes for a COVID vaccine. It paid nothing.

Wow, I think I’d feel like the £4K wasn’t worth it. Did she know it would be a possibility that she’d have long term problems? I wonder whether it happened to many others

Starting a wildlife sanctuary after growing a tail sounds a bit too suspicious!

@Sezza57325 I have no idea. I remember thinking at the time how I don’t think I’d ever feel healthy enough to think that was a good idea. I suppose 4K is a lot of money but it’s too much of a risk to take. It’s almost a year on and I still don’t think she’s fully recovered even if only from all the strong antibiotics.