Drug trial - medication used to reduce pain in cancer

parsons

I have been asked by email from one of my consultants to join in with a Europe wide programme of 240 people to be test subjects for pain relief medication for cancer sufferers.

It is being carried out by the research part of the hospital I am under. In fact one of my consultants is heading it up. It is being run in conjunction with all of the recognised cancer organisations, drug companies and research staff from across Europe. Financial backing is coming from the NHS.

Initially I have agreed without thought. Any new drug will not be of help to me, but could be for future sufferers.

My problem, I am on limited income and do not claim any welfare benefits through choice.

Normally I receive help with hospital outpatient appointments in that I receive the lower of public transport cost or mileage.

The hospital in question is in Southampton, and the expenses I claim amount to just under £100 for each visit.

QUESTION

As this is a drug trial and NOT a normal outpatient appointment, would I still be entitled to claim my travelling expenses?
If I can - then I will continue with the trial, if not, then I couldn't afford the expense every 13 weeks for 2 years - £800.

GlasweJen

Your visits related to the trial are not NHS so you wont get help from the NHS to attend.

You can claim travel expenses related to a trial from the organisers though and these are usually negotiated at the start. They also pay for accommodation if it is required and they may pay you for your time as well. When I was trialling an anti-arrythmic drug I got travel by taxi, 2 nights in a hotel and lost wages refunded.

parsons

GlasweJen wrote: »

Your visits related to the trial are not NHS so you wont get help from the NHS to attend.

You can claim travel expenses related to a trial from the organisers though and these are usually negotiated at the start. They also pay for accommodation if it is required and they may pay you for your time as well. When I was trialling an anti-arrythmic drug I got travel by taxi, 2 nights in a hotel and lost wages refunded.

Thanks for that.
No it seems that the cost is down to me then.

Expenses were never discussed. It is a 2 year trial that requires me to be in hospital for approx 6 hours on one day every 13 weeks.

To do that I would have to travel over two days and stay in a hotel for one night. I would cover the cost of the hotel because I believe in what they are trying to do. But £100 is a lot of money as well to lose every three months.

It looks like I will have to give back word. It is a shame as there are so few of us sufferers in Europe with the disease.

If only...........

GlasweJen

Try talking with the consultants secretary. Often the doctors get so caught up in the medical side of things they neglect to account for the people side of things. There will be money allocated for the volunteers somewhere so you might as well ask and see what is available.

mandi

Hello Parsons,

I'm sorry I have nothing constructive to add , but I just wanted to say thank you . Without people like you there would be fewer advances in medicine . :A

bengal-stripe

parsons wrote: »

QUESTION

As this is a drug trial and NOT a normal outpatient appointment, would I still be entitled to claim my travelling expenses?
If I can - then I will continue with the trial, if not, then I couldn't afford the expense every 13 weeks for 2 years - £800.

‘Healthy volunteers’ (people who are not affected by the condition the drug is aimed at) are recruited for the very first stages of a drugs trial. They stay at a research centre for a couple of weeks and will be monitored constantly. This is done to look for short-term side effects and toxicities of the medication. (Remember a few years back, when one of those trials went disastrously wrong.) Those ’volunteers’ get actually paid for taking part in the trial.

Once the trial goes a stage further, looking for efficaciousness, patients affected by the condition in question will be recruited. These patients are not paid fees, but are certainly paid expenses. Although your consultant might be in overall-charge of the trial, s/he will not do the day to day administration. The trial has (or will have soon) an administrator in place. He or she is the person you should contact.

As I said, expenses will certainly be paid. But as your expenses are more than an average lunch and a bus fare, you should clear that up beforehand.

hermanmunster_3

Expenses for volunteers will certainly written into the original proposal, you should not be out of pocket and they will be expecting to pay you

DX2

God Andy you really are one sick person.
FYI Parsons is a troll aka Andyandflo

parsons wrote: »

Yeah folks it's meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Paul actually, was Andy, and before that Geoff, not forgetting Tony the Petrolhead!!

Had you all going for a few weeks - I could not but resist that email - sent some to others as well.

I actually have had 8 private messages this time from somebody who felt sorry for me wanting to make a website for my business for nothing!!!!

Why are so many people so taken in with a sob story?

GlasweJen

Should have guessed, andy why don't you get a frickin life?

parsons

GlasweJen wrote: »

Should have guessed, andy why don't you get a frickin life?

Even had you this time round!!