Thoughts from a Lab Rat

Every clinic must log the times of every procedure of every subject in order to prove that the study was done correctly and that all of the information is valid. At each procedure or time point, the staff member who is performing the task will note the time and initial. They will also make notations if the procedure is late for any reason . While a handful of clinics will keep the DCS forms among the staff, most clinics will give you a clipboard with a stack of DCS forms that you are responsible for. You must bring the clipboard to every procedure. Keep an eye on your clipboard at all times. In a clinic with dozens or hundreds of subjects, clipboards are bound to get lost or misplaced. Do not leave your clipboard lying around cause somebody else might pick it up thinking it’s theirs and then you have go go find it. The DCS forms can be reviewed by the FDA so you should not write anywhere on the forms and make sure they do not get wet or dirty.

There are some clinics that will fine you if you lose your clipboard, especially if you miss procedures because of it. So keep your clipboard with you at all times or in a safe place in your personal area! Your clipboard is like the torch on Survivor. Fire is life. Your clipboard is your paycheck!

The April issue of Men’s Health Magazine has come out and there is an article called Drug Test Dummies. A few volunteers including myself are mentioned in the article. Not wild about the title but otherwise I feel the article did touch some good points about the flaws in the system. You can read it online or you can buy the hardcopy to treasure forever. There’s a bit more info in the printed article.

Someone also wrote a review of this site in the WebMD community section.

Yay! The Men’s Health Article has been syndicated on MSNBC.com!

It seems that more and more volunteers seem disappointed with the way studies are done. Unhappy with the amenities, the way they are paid, the rules they have to follow. When you sign the informed consent form and house rules form, you are signing a contract to abide by and fulfill all obligations before, during and after the study. You do have the right to leave a study at any time but if you choose to remain in a study, you should and are obligated to play ball.

I guess the thing that annoys me the most is seeing people who think that clinics somehow owe them. Somehow, they only need to show up to the clinic and collect a check. Participating in a study IS NOT FREE MONEY! You are being compensated for your lab results. Therefore, you are obligated to follow the rules of the study no matter how trivial they may seem. You are forewarned of what to expect during the screening. So, be on time to your procedures, eat all your food when required, take a shower every day, go to bed on time. It’s not that hard. Just some simple following directions.

There are very few opportunities where you can earn a large amounts of money in a short amount of time that are LEGAL. You should feel privileged to have the opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of millions while also earning some money at the same time.