Anyone joined UK clinical trials for new weight loss injections?

[Realitybitesyerbum]

I was on Mounjaro two years ago and lost 4 stones. Came off it a year due to the pricing increases and I've now put 2 stones back on. Since then I've had another go at dieting myself but the food noise is just horrendous. Last week I discovered that there are clinical trials available for the next generation of WLI's so I've signed up! My initial appointment is next week, I'm praying I get accepted and that I don't get the placebo!

I had no idea they're recruiting all over the UK! Criteria seems to be no WLI for the last 90 days, must be taking contraception or be post menopausal, and with a BMI of 27+ and one of the criteria that would give you the jab on the NHS. I have sleep apnoea so should be ok for getting on. When I read the info again I realised they're also looking for overweight people who don't have one of the NHS criteria, so anyone with a BMI of 30+ can apply for them.

Does anyone here have experience of these clinical trials? I'm wondering what the timescales are like for starting once you've had the initial visit, and if remuneration is offered as standard.

For anyone interested just google weight loss clinical trials and they come up. I did try going onto the main sites (Pfizer, Eli Lilly etc) but they showed they weren't recruiting yet in the UK. However if you access the actual clinics most of them are actively recruiting now.

Top pre req is surely “You are very brave!”

There's usually a payment. It's officially not supposed to be an incentive to take part but to cover your time attending appointments, travel etc. some of them are quite generous considering!
Ask what the system is for carrying on taking the medication (if it is beneficial) after this trial finishes, as it could be some years before they are available through the NHS.

My theory is that this is the final stage testing (although it does go on for a long time) so it's efficacy rather than safety at this stage. I won't decide until I've been though and I know more about it!

Thanks @Wonderknicks, I didn't think of post trial! I think I'd be absolutely gutted if I ended up with a placebo - I understand they have a big drop out rate because so many people have been on them and generally would know if they had appetite suppression. My understanding is that this is the final phase of the trial so should be efficacy rather than safety (although obviously that's still a concern). Looking forward to the appointment so I can find out more about it.

I think anyone taking a drug in any level of testing…. Must be bloody brave!

I don’t agree with the bravery comments, this is third generation meds so is building on the first two which are proven successful.

I’d not do it, but see why you would if desperate, usually people do it for the money. Ot course you’ve a 50 5o chance of getting the drug v a placebo. Not for me, but good luck if you do it.

You really shouldn’t sign up to a trial if you would pull out if you thought you got placebo. It will screw up the results of the trial if all the placebo arm drop out and will mean the drug doesn’t get licensed for people to benefit from. If you sign up to a trial it should be largely with an altruistic motivation and a desire to see it through whichever the outcome. They won’t select you as a participant if they feel you are excessively biased and not liable to see it through if you don’t get what you want. I doubt they will be short of takers.

It’s also unlikely they would provide the drug after the trial finishes. Although these are based on previous drugs they could not be doing a trial ethically if they already knew it worked so there is uncertainty even if you do get the active drug. Rare side effects do come out in phase 3 larger trials too. I have both run and participated in clinical trials.

Yeah if you’re just doing this to see if you can score free weight loss injections and will drop out if you think you’ve a placebo then don’t do it. They won’t tell you whay you’re on, so you wont know. But it’s really shit to want to screw up a trial by dropping out. Do it if you intend to do it properly. And hopefully they habe ways of detecting those just in it to score free weight loss injections and who will drop,out of they think it’s not working.

remmeber also these are drugs not yet on the market, so you may find yourself having side effects.

Building upon
but introducing new elements / components.

I think anyone signing up for a drugs trial is…. Brave! Especially if they read the small print I suspect.