Medical Trials... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

naturally_2

To the people who say its no more risk than some sports or driving a car, you may be quite right, however, we all take calculated and uncalculated risks every day in every action we take or don't take (get out of bed? There is a risk you might fall over and hurt yourself. Stay in bed? There is a risk of you developing pressure sores etc).

My point of view is that I choose to take the risk of getting injured in a car crash everytime I get into a car because the probability of it happening is low compared to the effect not going out in a car would have on my quality of life. Regarding drug trials, I consider the probability of getting sick to be too high compared to the benefit of a few quid in my pocket. In my perception, there are less risky ways of having a second income.

However I do agree that we need vounteers for medical studies and I applaud those of you who are brave enough to do them.

angecull31

elkay115 wrote: »

Are these lot still doing trials. I haven't had anything from them now for at least 2 years. Used to do loads of patch tests in Musselburgh for them. Maybe I should give them a call and check they haven't lost my details.

I have done about 8 trials for them but due to a car crash 4 years ago and now having a very knackered back which needs constant topping up of pain killers they now won't have anything to do with me as you need to be drug free and healthy. I had to phone them a number of times to get them to STOP sending me trial information as I just couldn't do them.

I would give them a phone if I was you and see where you stand.

BP56134

elkay115 wrote: »

Are these lot still doing trials. I haven't had anything from them now for at least 2 years. Used to do loads of patch tests in Musselburgh for them. Maybe I should give them a call and check they haven't lost my details.

They are definitely still doing trials but are now called Charles Rivers Laboratories, after being taken over.

oneknight

Just to let you know my experience.

I did a trial in Belfast for MDS earlier this year, I was in for 3 periods of 4 days over a 3 month period, and had to go back for a quick blod test 15 times over this period. Got paid £2700

Everything was fine, if a little boring. Once you are accepted onto a trial and start it, you are in the trial place for however many days and cannot leave or have visitors. It really is like stepping off the face of the earth. You can take a mobile, but you are not really allowed a camera phone.

Some days you were kept busy with a nurse coming every 15mins or so checking this or that, some days you may have a blood test first thing in the morning and then nothing else for the rest of the day to do.

There was a tv, games, computer games consoles, the nurses went and got a selection of newspapers every day for you all.

Best advice is either, take books, a laptop or get talking to the other participant in there a get a few games of poker on the go.

All trial times and dates are given to you before you start. The staff were helpful and if you were concerned about anything you got to see a Dr.

Everyone that was on my trial recorded no side effects, however there were other trials going on and some people were being sick etc. But once that happened they were removed from trial, if they got paid I do not know.

Would I do it again, you bet ya life I would. Easy money. If you can fit your work around it go for it. Never an easier way to make money in my opinion.

Just remember, if you dont make your own entertainment it will be mind numbingly boring.

If anyone has any Q's then please feel free to PM me.

stphnstevey

tinkerbel wrote: »

Try astra zenica - for this google "healthy volunteers" in Nottingham and Manchester
or
Try ICON based in manchester

Astra Zeneca

stphnstevey

All Pharmaceutical companies have a Phase I Unit - Pfizer, Glaxo Welcome, Sanofi-Aventis, Merck Sharpe and Dohme, Novartis etc etc Just google them.

ICON and Chiltern are CRO's (Clinical Research Organisations) who do research on behalf of a Pharmaceutical company.

I have worked for Glaxo, MSD, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, ICON and a few others, setting up clincal trials (the other side of the fence if you like). But mainly in the later phase trials in people with the actual condition being studied, rather than these early stages.

They don't pay in the late phases, only the early phases as they need healthy volunteers (ie there is no incentive like there is for someone who might get better, so they have to pay)

monty77

Considering going for one of these trials at the moment to earn some extra $$$ - how do they pay you for these trials? I'm going to assume anything you earn is taxable so return becomes less attractive but still worth it for a high paying trial.

Cheers,
Adam

oneknight

I got paid by cheque a couple of days after the trial finished.

As far as I know the money is not taxable, they are paying you "expenses" and not a wage. Someone else may correct me on this but I am pretty sure I am right.

tinkerbel

oneknight wrote: »

I got paid by cheque a couple of days after the trial finished.

As far as I know the money is not taxable, they are paying you "expenses" and not a wage. Someone else may correct me on this but I am pretty sure I am right.

ooo brilliant question! Its called like, "inconvenience allowance" by some companies I think so you could be onto something about it being non-taxable there, if anyone knows I would love to know! Thanks

Kalamaker

A friend of mine has been doing it for a couple of years now and with no side effects thus far. He keeps trying to get me to do it, but no matter what I am just skeptical because maybe he's just lucky enough not to get sick or not to have any of the side effects. He's made quite a bit of money doing it, and in Hawaii, any extra income is welcome. I need convincing! Anyone out there think they can convince me to sign myself up for these tests?