Would you be a lab rat?

[Lisa]

Every year, thousands of Canadians volunteer to be human guinea pigs by participating in clinical trials. The vast majority pass through the process unscathed, but in rare cases a trial can go wrong, with serious consequences.

FULL STORY

When I worked at the local teaching hospital I would see ads up on bulletin boards looking for people to volunteer in clinical studies that involved the ingestion of different medications. Sometimes, if not always, there was monetary compensation for participating in the studies. A few I remember were upwards to $1000.

So has anyone ever vounteered to be part of a clinical trial. If not, would you ever? I don't think I ever would. My paranoia would get the better of me and I couldn't be the guinea pig no matter what monetary value was placed.

 

[stickarts]

Nope, and not likely! :0)

 

[mrhnau]

When I worked at the local teaching hospital I would see ads up on bulletin boards looking for people to volunteer in clinical studies that involved the ingestion of different medications. Sometimes, if not always, there was monetary compensation for participating in the studies. A few I remember were upwards to $1000.

So has anyone ever vounteered to be part of a clinical trial. If not, would you ever? I don't think I ever would. My paranoia would get the better of me and I couldn't be the guinea pig no matter what monetary value was placed.

depends on the trial... I'd want some serious communication (hey, thats the scientist side of me).

is it a trial for a new medicine for an incurable disease I'm dying of? sure thing! is it a trial of something chronic thats just a pain in the butt? possibly, if I think the benefit outweighs the risk... things like that are hard to judge...

 

[hemi]

Well I took part in one study but it was for the most part safe. All I ended up having to do was smoke 3 unlabeled cigarettes (they were tobacco) then fill out a few pages of questions. I made $20 for less than 30 min of my time. Now if I was offered a chance at $1000 unless they were going to cut something off me, or cause me a lot of pain or death I would most likely tell them to count me in.

 

[Ping898]

It would really depend on the circumstances for me. Like would I know what the drug is supposed to be treating? Do I have it? Is it a drug that has been proven safe and they are looking for off label uses? Who is running the study? Things along those nature....In the end probably not, but if it was the incurable disease that I have thing or I was desperate for cash and it was try the drugs or go walk the streets, I would try the drugs....

 

[Lisa]

It would really depend on the circumstances for me. Like would I know what the drug is supposed to be treating? Do I have it? Is it a drug that has been proven safe and they are looking for off label uses? Who is running the study? Things along those nature....In the end probably not, but if it was the incurable disease that I have thing or I was desperate for cash and it was try the drugs or go walk the streets, I would try the drugs....

You make a good point, Ping and I have to agree. If I had nothing to lose and was wasting away anyways, I would probably do it. Maybe it would help prolong my life, maybe not but hopefully it would help them help others after I am gone.

 

[Lisa]

Well I took part in one study but it was for the most part safe. All I ended up having to do was smoke 3 unlabeled cigarettes (they were tobacco) then fill out a few pages of questions. I made $20 for less than 30 min of my time. Now if I was offered a chance at $1000 unless they were going to cut something off me, or cause me a lot of pain or death I would most likely tell them to count me in.

And a lot of people I know have taken part in those studies. One girl I used to work for actually allowed them to give her the cold virus and put her in a hotel for a week or two (can't remember exactly how long) she was given a considerable amount of money (couple thousand) for her inconvenience. She was of the thinking "room service, free hotel and money for my time and trouble, why not?"

 

[bignick]

Actually, very common in my area. There is a company that does medical testing here and it's a college town. I know dozens of people offhand that do it for the money.



Me...scared of needles...

 

[MartialIntent]

And a lot of people I know have taken part in those studies. One girl I used to work for actually allowed them to give her the cold virus and put her in a hotel for a week or two (can't remember exactly how long) she was given a considerable amount of money (couple thousand) for her inconvenience. She was of the thinking "room service, free hotel and money for my time and trouble, why not?"

Man, you guys must not have seen this horrific case - happened here in the UK just last week. **Please read** if you had been considering volunteering!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2092527,00.html


“A few minutes after the first patient had been given the drug he started to shake,” said Khan. “He took his top off, he looked like he was burning up. Several minutes later the third person was vomiting, he was hyperventilating. He looked like he was in the worst pain.
“Then number four, the chap on my right, a big strapping and physically fit fellow, started to react. He was sweating, eventually took his top off and then just collapsed. Everyone was vomiting, there were these big black bin liners filled up with vomit. “The chap on my left was in pain, he was screaming his back was hurting — it was like someone was punching him in the back because he kept arching forwards.”


Respects!

 

[Lisa]

Man, you guys must not have seen this horrific case - happened here in the UK just last week. **Please read** if you had been considering volunteering!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2092527,00.html


“A few minutes after the first patient had been given the drug he started to shake,” said Khan. “He took his top off, he looked like he was burning up. Several minutes later the third person was vomiting, he was hyperventilating. He looked like he was in the worst pain.
“Then number four, the chap on my right, a big strapping and physically fit fellow, started to react. He was sweating, eventually took his top off and then just collapsed. Everyone was vomiting, there were these big black bin liners filled up with vomit. “The chap on my left was in pain, he was screaming his back was hurting — it was like someone was punching him in the back because he kept arching forwards.”


Respects!

Yeah...see...this is why I am a little "scared" of doing it.

The link you gave also said that two of the 6 people that reacted could be in a coma for up to a year!

My question is what recourse do these people have? I am sure you have to sign a waiver to participate but when things go this badly...you lose a year of your life or worse, your life itself. I also wonder of the screening done for potential candidates regarding allergies and family history etc.

 

[TigerWoman]

I know I wouldn't risk my health for money. Period. Enough things can go wrong with your health without looking for them. But, if it 1) was a trial on a drug that could possibly save my life and 2) had good information on it and 3) it was the best alternative or 4) if I knew I was dying and it could help others, yes I would. Mayo Clinic offers alot of limited studies advertising for lab rats, but it usually is to a specific age and medical condition. One was on menopausal women. No thanks, the possible side effects from the drug were worse than the normal side effects. Duh! Not that desperate, maybe other women are though. TW

 

[Cryozombie]

Heh. Years ago, I signed up for a clinical trial for 2k cash, but was not selected... they wanted to test artifical blood in humans.

Thinking back on it, Im kinda glad I wasnt picked.

 

[rutherford]

I heard about a study that paid 5,000 for a cubic centimeter of flesh. Causes a wicked scar, but I'd do it if it was available in these parts.

The drugs, not so much. I would have during my college years, but I did a lot of stupid stuff back then.

I guess that India is the big growth market for this stuff now, and probably everybody's seen The Constant Guardner.

 

[shesulsa]

Heck no, I wouldn't be a lab rat.

 

[Laeticia]

Nope...

Some of my friends did this while studying and nothing happened, but I'm not comfortable taking meds of any kind. I usually take them as a last resort and only if I'm in a really bad condition. The exception being my migraine pills, those I take before the nausea and headache hit me down.

 

[beau_safken]

I'm gonna vote : negative....

Im not really the prime target for most of those drug companies anyway.

 

[Cryozombie]

I heard about a study that paid 5,000 for a cubic centimeter of flesh. Causes a wicked scar, but I'd do it if it was available in these parts.
.

Id do that... chicks dig scars.

 

[mrhnau]

Id do that... chicks dig scars.

LOL

you might want to find out where the flesh comes from first!

 

[Lisa]

more information now reveals that the drug given to the men caused swelling in monkeys.

An experimental drug that caused organ failure in six British men previously caused swollen glands when tested in lab monkeys, a drug company said Tuesday.

FULL STORY

 

[Blindside]

I signed up for one when I was in college. It was a study looking at the effects of a spinal block on the body's reactions to changes in core and surface body temperatures.

Basically I sat in a hammock in a swimming suit, hooked up with a heartrate monitor, EKG, sweat monitors, surface skin temperature thermometer, and a thermometer that I had to swallow. Then I was sprayed with warm and cool water as they moved my core body temperature up or down by a couple of degrees. My job was largely not to fall asleep. I did this twice and then was disqualified from the study because they weren't able to fool my body into incorrectly regulating its temperature (ex: not shivering when core body temp was down, but skin temperature was high). As I recall I made around $300 for each 1.5 hour session, I would have made more if I made it to the part where they do the spinal block.

It is still a good hourly wage , but I'm not sure I would go through it again, I'd be too worried about a screw-up with the spinal block. Maybe I am getting a little wiser with this whole age thing.

Lamont