Medical Trials... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

stphnstevey

Joefish wrote: »

Edit - That's my first post? Haha!

If we don't hear from you again, we won't go to that company..

wifeforlife

Have been considering this for years but nothing ever came up that I genuinely had an interest in

I log on today and see a trial for Orlistat (weight loss) yeah I thinks, 2 birds and 1 stone (preferably 4 hehe) and all that malarky plus £4500, but as always a catch. 37 days in house which as a single mum and fulltime worker is completely out for me

Back to the day job for me

Cate

vix2000

which company is the orlistat trial with please?

wifeforlife

MDS Belfast

HTH

Charlotte_22

My partner recently choose to take part in a medical trial testing anti-malaria tablets.

He had to spend a morning have a full medical and then return a few weeks later to spend 5 days in a private manor house which had been turned into a hospital.
On the first day he received breakfast and a 3 course lunch before being told that some of the other participant had felt nausea and so the trial would be cancelled. However he still got full pay plus his expenses. £996 for for 2 mornings work!!

If you are flexible and sensible then this can be a great way to make some extra cash.

CALGACUS

Charlotte_22 wrote: »

If you are flexible and sensible then this can be a great way to make some extra cash.

What Charlotte_22 said!

When I was at university (Edinburgh), I was badly in need of some extra cash. My flatmate told me that his brother had done clinical trial work when he had been a student. Apparently this consisted of testing a new coating to be used on painkillers etc. which it was hoped could be used to speed up their absorption rate into the system. What was being tested was whether this new coating caused any stomach irritation. My flatmate's brother got paid (i seem to remember) £1300 for about six nights stay in the facility. The high pay (this was over ten years ago) was because he had to have an endoscope inserted down his throat once a day so that the interior of his stomach could be examined for any irritation.

I went along to be checked up - had my weight, height, blood pressure, etc. taken - also blood samples, and they got in touch about a week later to say that my blood pressure was a bit high (but they said this was common when people first came in to be tested!) and I had a high white cell count. I explained that I was just getting over a cold when I came in and they said in that case that they had a study starting in a couple of days and was I interested?

So, I went in, they took my blood pressure again (normal this time) and another blood sample, and I stayed the night - only to be told the following day that my white cell count was still too high, and unfortunately they couldn't use me. They apologised profusely for wasting my time, and paid me £30 for the night I spent in the facility at their expense (plus my (negligible) travelling costs).

I'm now returning to university - and having had my bite at the apple at the government's (and loan agency's) expense, have to fund myself. So, clinical trials here I come again!

The amount that you get paid for these appears to relate directly to the inconvenience/discomfort of the trial. A 'patch test' where you go in and have a patch applied to your arm with a sample of a new cream on it and then return a week later to see if there is any irritation will pay a lot less than a residential stay of two weeks followed by five, weekly visits for check-ups which involve the insertion of intrusive instruments :eek: into intimate parts of the body:eek:.

To end - my tuppence worth regarding the screwup a few years ago that left a number of participents in a clinical research study in Britain badly injured (it's been mentioned more than once on this thread already). Wasn't it the very rarity of the event that made it news-worthy? If things like that happened every day It would never have made the papers - let alone the TV. In a similar way, a 'plane crash will make the national news (in whatever media) whereas a car crash won't - however - flying remains the safer means of transport.

If any of us were to apply for seasonal farming work we would probably be running more of a risk of injury or death than we would doing clinical research - and for considerably less renumeration.

Or maybe I'm just trying to reassure myself!:o

Anyway, everyone should make an informed decision about whether they are happy earning money in this way! I can certainly understand people not being comfortable with it - and personally I wouldn't do it myself if I had any realistic alternative.

CAL.

Miss_No-Money-Penny

Tried this and thought was any easy earner. Sat about for hours which was very boring, but earnt 100's for the inconvenience- BUT, then it all caught up with me! Did trial for some type of oral vitamin supplement and had bad reaction: apparently I was the only one, but not too sure about this - I do not have sensitive system/skin normally! Face ballooned, eyes puffed badly, could hardly see! and lips swelled and went numb: looked like id had a stroke! NEVER do it again, just not worh it! Was not back to normal for nearly a week!I was really really skint, but it brought it home that HEALTH is more important than any debts! If you have your health you can WORK harder, which is what I do now, as much overtime as I can get, and you soon get used to working long hours! ( just paid off 2 longstanding debts!) Hurray! and gonna continue until debts all paid- nearly done now, and then will be saving to do some travelling to reward my good self! You can do it too, but you need to look after YOUR HEALTH to do it!

little_alex

I have done three trials for astrazeneca based in Nottingham. Not the most fun Ive ever had purely because you are cooped up. Unfortunately they have stopped so need a need supply of cash any decent company based around Northampton or Leeds, i have heard of covance but anybody know how good they are?

As for the risk it is minimal, even in the first time in man studys (of which all three of mine were to a certain extent eg single very low dose) the doses they give the first people are so small they are barely detectable and then they are gradually racked up within defined limits and under strict controls. One trial was stopped in a group later than mine as people developed v minor nose bleeds, just proves they cannot go ahead blindly.

missdee85

rachel83 wrote: »

i would do it, lets face it medical trials are nesasary for the companys to find cures for things.

trouble is i dont think they do them round here,

Hi

Where are you in fife there is a unit in dundee which is leased from ninewells hospital it is Chiltern - however i have completed 3 studies so far from them and all times i have had a taxi when i have lived in dundee and the rest of the time i have received my travelling expenses back from them if you drive then it is calculated by the mile the study i am currently doing has given me £11 for driving through and thats just a journey from perth to dundee, however if you rely on public transport then you just keep your travel ticket/receipt for them to photocopy and the costs will be reimbursed on your cheque although if you request it the money can be paid directly into you bank account.

I wouldn't be put off by the Phase 1 thing as i have completed 3 of these and all of these times it was using drugs that already existed but were either updated for a new strain of the virus or were using them in a new way.

The staff at the unit are so friendly and always make sure that you are comfortable and kept amused - there is sky tv, wireless broadband, pool tables, books and you are allowed to use your mobile phone, although i would advise to take in plenty of reading material and you get an allocated time when visitors are allowed on to the ward to see you.

They have a fairly large contract to do the flu vaccine study every year and the past 2 years i have participated in this study which involves getting the vaccine to determine side effects then getting 1 blood test. 3 weeks later you go back get another standard size blood sample taken and then get you cheque for £155 plus any additional expenses.

I have participated in another one and that was for testing a new way of using an existing anti-biotic for a womens infection shall we say lol the pay for that was £495 and bearing in mind that was 3 years ago for 3 days in hospital i thought that was damn good!!!

For people with worries about it i would highly recommend it just know what limits you have before you do it and dont ever put yourself in a position when you are willing to sell out your beliefs.

You are allowed to do testing once every 3 months and your national insurance number is checked against a national database to make sure you haven't breached this.

I am 24 and i am on the contraceptive injection which posed absolutely no problem at all of course i had to give a wee sample just to check there was nothing unexpected.

And yes i do these studies for money but i also do them for satisfaction my son is in one of the categories that require the flu vaccine so i enjoy the whole thing that i know what to expect for when he gets it and i will know exactly the experience.

I should also say that if you are thinking of doing these studies but are put off by the "perfect health" thing, seriously dont worry i have a history of mental health issues which for those of you are possibly unaware are totally incurable i also am not what would be described as the perfect weight for my height in fact i think i am at least 2 stones over that weight!!! I also smoke i occaissionally drink and have had a pretty normal health history so nothing spectacular.

I would urge people who are automatically jumping to conclusions about these studies to stop and look at the bigger picture people like me and many others who have commented as being a participant are potential life savers yes we get paid for it but at the same time we do the things that people do not want to do so to the rest of you thank you for possibly saving lives or for making the lives of some patients much easier.

lordsalisbury

Hi, does anyone know how to sign up for clinical trials in Australia? I can find info for UK, but I'm in Oz at the moment, don't mind putting my health on the line for some easy cash, but all the stuff seems quite diffuse and I can't find any specific list to sign up for. Thanks for any info.