Clinical Trials

Mostly fine except for that one time where 6 people somehow got elephantitis or something and were all fucked afterwards. Mostly fine though.

i did one in Oxford, I tend to make sure I've read the literature fully and then go for it.

Mostly fine except for that one time where 6 people somehow got elephantitis or something and were all fucked afterwards. Mostly fine though.

That was the one in Brent at Northwick Park I think? In which case lots of things happened which shouldn't have done, lots of irregularities. So definitely not typical.

Check out the MHRA website for info (for the public) on clinical trials,

http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/Generalsafetyinformationandadvice/Adviceandinformationforconsumers/MymedicineFromlaboratorytopharmacyshelf/Clinicaltrials/index.htm#3

There is a link to the expert report which was commissioned on the Northwick Park incident from this page also.

You should be able to determine some sort of risk level for what you are participating in by knowing at least if it is the first human study of a particular compound (as it was at Northwick park).

Another good indicator of risk and likelihood of adverse events or of other 'discomfort' is how much you are getting paid....

Before you participate you will be given a patient information sheet giving you all the available information on the toxicity and/or side affects of the drug which has been gathered from previous animal and human trials. Read it carefully and make sure you ask any questions about anything you are unsure about, and don't be fobbed off. Several cases in the past of investigators not even showing these to patients, and not telling them they are in a Clinical Trial at all, and forging their signatures on the informed consent form, sometimes because they knew that patients would be unlikely to give consent once they had read the potential outcomes on the information sheet.

I've never done a drug trial myself although I do work in Clinical Trials. Did have a lung biopsy once so they could test drugs on my tissue once, and got £400, but didn't have to take anything myself. That was nasty, would not want to repeat it.

Did have a lung biopsy once so they could test drugs on my tissue once, and got £400, but didn't have to take anything myself. That was nasty, would not want to repeat it.

Ha, I had a lung collapse (twice) in the States and apart from inserting a tube to fix it they also did a lung biopsy, through the back ribs, I didn't get £400, quite the contrary I paid them a metric shitload of dollars.
It was in a religious kind of hospital in Nashville, I screamed the worst word in the English language (according to general consensus anyway) on an open plan emergency ward, involuntarily as loud as I was able, when it went in.
Not worth £400, I agree.

...they also did a lung biopsy, through the back ribs, I didn't get £400...

Sounds a bit worse then mine definitely, I didn't have it through the ribs, was instead through an endoscopy with a camera and some little tissue cutters on the end so I could watch it travelling down my bronchioles on TV, very hard to stop the gag reflex, think they gave me some drug to reduce the gag, and also gave me some kind of date rape drug so I would not remember what happened. In fact not too sure what did happen, but whatever they did to me they felt it was worth £400.

...think they gave me some drug to reduce the gag, and also gave me some kind of date rape drug so I would not remember what happened. ....

hang on a minute...

OK, imho you'd be bonkers to have any form of 'invasive' trial such as a biopsy - with the upmost respect of course to SimonW7.

I look at the principle like this... there are X squillion medical students and Y squillion out of work Dr's. If trials were so attractive how come these haven't hooverd up virtually every trial in the country?

In a nutshell - I wouldn't, unless it was diagnostic, non-invasive, with new technology. However I understand why others would.

Trials for individuals who are already suffering from a condition the chance to go a trial is a whole different discussion.

Medical trials are explored here in a more dramatic/leaning manner.... http://www.theatreofdebate.com/Starfish/Starfish.html

They already had a hole because of the chest pump, I was on meds but they weren't killing that much pain, and it was a bit of a medical emergency as my temperature had been high enough to give brain damage, so yeah, I didn't get the endoscopy...

OK, imho you'd be bonkers to have any form of 'invasive' trial such as a biopsy - with the upmost respect of course to SimonW7.

to be fair i should point out i only really did it to help out a mate, the research was for his PhD (well that and the money)

They already had a hole because of the chest pump, I was on meds but they weren't killing that much pain, and it was a bit of a medical emergency as my temperature had been high enough to give brain damage, so yeah, I didn't get the endoscopy...

Interesting... how high does your temperature have to be before you get brain damage?

** goes off to Google for some self diagnosis **