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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sign up for a clinical trial

23 replies

Oysterbabe · 30/09/2023 10:01

A while back my doctors surgery were asking for healthy people to register if they might be interested in taking part in clinical trials I signed up.

I've been offered one to test an oral vaccine. I would have to take the vaccine (or placebo) and then a few weeks later be exposed to the pathogen. It's likely to cause sickness and diarrhea for a week in the unvaccinated. I would be given antibiotics at the first sign of illness. Then I would need to fill in a questionnaire every month for a year and have a couple of blood tests. The payment is £3,500.00.

I'm up for it. DH thinks I'm crazy. These trials are important and it's a decent payment. Of course there are risks, but the chance of any serious complications are very low.

Would you do it?

OP posts:
NalafromtheLionKing · 30/09/2023 10:03

Possibly, if I were extremely broke. In my circs, no way!

LilyLemonade · 30/09/2023 10:03

I wouldn’t want to but I think it’s a socially useful thing to do and good money.

CrunchyCarrot · 30/09/2023 10:05

I couldn't due to existing health problems. Do you know what the vaccine is supposed to protect against? Sounds a bit like Noro.

Crzy · 30/09/2023 10:07

Do you know the virus/illness it is so you can research? I’d want to know to be able to research for myself and see if there’s any long term effects ect it’s not something I’d trust anyone else to tell me even though legally they are meant to. I know a few people who do flu related trials which I’d consider as risks are very very low but anything gastric related or more serious I’d be very concerned I’d not like to end up as someone who got the bad effects from it and live with gastric issues for life!

Orientalnamechange · 30/09/2023 10:09

I think I would yes

Strawberryfieldsforeverrr · 30/09/2023 10:09

If its something contagious then where I'll you stay? If at home then your DP has to be 100% on board to catch it.

SupportAnimalShelters · 30/09/2023 10:12

Personally I wouldn't. Not only because there is some risk and I wouldn't want to take that but, if I got sick after exposure, I'd risk exposing all the people in my family and around me.

gotomomo · 30/09/2023 10:13

I would check what the arrangements are when you are given the pathogen, if they are providing accommodation then i would certainly consider it, that's a lot of money and useful to society

maybemaybeno · 30/09/2023 10:14

It really depends, but probably if I weren’t TTC I’d be on board

maybemaybeno · 30/09/2023 10:14

£3500 is very good money.

MedSchoolRat · 30/09/2023 10:18

£3500 sounds lovely.
I'd be adverse to the antiBs, though.
Which germ is it the vaccine is for?

Original poster
Oysterbabe · 30/09/2023 10:19

The pathogen is Salmonella Paratyphi A.

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 30/09/2023 10:20

Not unless I was 8n sure financial straits as that isn't enough to risk your health. Is there any compensation if something does go wrong?

RaininSummer · 30/09/2023 10:20

Should say in dire financial straits btw

StoatofDisarray · 30/09/2023 10:21

How do I sign up for this?

CrunchyCarrot · 30/09/2023 10:21

Oysterbabe · 30/09/2023 10:19

The pathogen is Salmonella Paratyphi A.

Yikes! No I don't think I'd sign up for that one if able to do so. Causes typhoid/paratyphoid. Obviously it's a good vaccine to develop but not much fun for those of you who end up with the placebo.

Steev · 30/09/2023 10:21

I remember the one that went wrong a few years ago. No chance unless I was on the bare bones of my arse.

MedSchoolRat · 30/09/2023 10:44

Ah yeah, I'd take the antiBs for that little bastard.
If I was working flexibly so could create a few days off work if I needed it, I'd be happy to take the £3500 & the risks.
It tends to spread in water &/or food, btw, I'm not sure that person to person transmission is documented.

Please send details if that's an option (although I'm probably ineligible for being to old, I imagine an upper age limit of 40-45 for participants)

Lots of us have partial cross immunity from other serovars, btw, especially older us.

MedSchoolRat · 30/09/2023 10:46

Steev · 30/09/2023 10:21

I remember the one that went wrong a few years ago. No chance unless I was on the bare bones of my arse.

The protocols have been changed so that kind of event couldn't happen in same way now, not everyone would receive experimental drug at once. Also some newer ways of assessing safety before human exposure.

Anyway, OP is describing a vaccine not a novel drug exposure.

Original poster
Oysterbabe · 30/09/2023 11:13

I guess how much you need the money is a huge factor here. It feels a little bit exploitative that poor people are more likely to take the risk, but they just wouldn't get enough volunteers without the financial incentive.

OP posts:
Eglatina · 30/09/2023 16:24

Have to say I agree about the exploitative angle. Much like our low-paid workforce, we couldn't do without them, but no-one wants to be part of it unless they're desperate.

Spudinafuckit · 30/09/2023 18:08

One thing to consider if you travel, is travel insurance.

My husband had a knee injury and signed up to a clinical trial coming very close to its end - so essentially a surgery trial that was so successful it’s almost ready to become a standard procedure.

It’s a good thing to do in the name of research, but the thing we never considered was that we’d struggle with travel insurance. He’s not covered on our annual family plan. Many others wouldn’t cover him either, so he has to get individual cover at some expense from a broker that mostly covers seniors with multiple health conditions.

Seems crazy for relatively minor knee surgery.

Ivebeentogeorgia · 30/09/2023 18:13

I would for that money

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