Thoughts from a Lab Rat

The lingering recession has many rats concerned with the survival of full-time volunteering. While things may seem bleak at the moment, I must point out that there are studies out there. Certainly, there are fewer studies, maybe big stipend studies, but there are hundreds if not thousands of studies for healthy individuals. That’s not to say that some clinics aren’t experiencing a greater slowdown than others. Sponsors use various clinics to do their trials. Over the course of a trial, the volunteer requirements will vary thus affecting the current demands of a certain clinic. Sometimes, all the moons may align and a particular clinic may only have small studies. Conversely, the same clinic may get several large studies and the need for volunteers is greater. There is no way to predict what the future holds for each clinic because the contracts constantly change and evolve. Regardless of how long a recession lasts, the need for medications and treatments will always be there. Until the day comes where we are replaced by unethical clones, our services will be needed and appreciated.

First off, it is important to clarify that every clinic has its own policies for determining the amount that each study compensates and how it is paid. In general, the sponsor determines the compensation amount. The clinic decides how it will be paid. The majority of the clinics I have been to operate on a completion system. This means that they will offer a rate for nights spent in house and additional rates for any phone calls or follow up visits. Then there will be an additional amount that is paid if all parts of the study were completed based on the requirements of the study. If your study has a follow up visit and you miss it, then you will only be paid for the nights that you spent in house because you did not complete the study.

It is important to remember that the amount advertised is the maximum amount you can receive provided you complete all parts of the study. Case in point, most clinics clearly state “up to” such and such amount. It is also important to note that when follow up visits are scheduled, you must be there at that time and day. Again, missing a follow up visit can eliminate your completion payment and if you’re in the middle of a study, you can be disqualified from continuing the study.

There are other factors that may reduce your overall compensation. Many clinics use negative reinforcement. In order to provide the most accurate results, every subject in a study must complete the study in the same manner. In order to reinforce this idea, clinics will fine you if you fail to follow the rules and guidelines of the study. Obviously, most people don’t like having money taken away from them so they follow the rules to the T.

A big question many subjects have is how the compensation is determined. Is it based on the projected severity of the side-effects? Is it based on the amount of blood draws? Or the amount of procedures? Usually, it’s all of the above. All of these points are taken into consideration when coming up with the appropriate compensation.

A special THANK YOU to all of you who have mentioned my name and or my site to research clinics! Over the past few months, I have been receiving some referrals from various clinics and Sprint! Unfortunately, I’m not told who the referrers are, so I say thank you to all! I am glad everyone (for the most part) likes my site. I am a bit behind on the bi-annual update but I’ll get er done soon!

Keep a sharp eye out for the studies. There’s plenty out there but they fill up extremely fast!

Free time can be the biggest problem for full-time lab rats. In the US, there is a minimum of 30 days washout (not participating in a clinical trial) between each trial. During this period, many people have part-time or even full-time jobs that allow them to knock-off for the trials. For people like me, I’m not much into working during my off period but I do some piece work when money gets tight. Waiting for your next study can be a job in itself. Keeping an eye out on the websites or calling the clinics every so often can leave little time for other things in life.

I try to get one or two day gigs off craigslist. It can be hit or miss most of the time but I find that I get enough work to keep me happy. I also free-lance as a balloon artist. I know several people involved with network marketing scams (ahem, I mean businesses). I’m not a fan of networking marketing but if it works for you, then more power to you. What you make out of your off time if totally up to you.

Cardinal Rule #5. Compete all parts of the study - Once you sign up to screen for a study, you should be committed to follow through with the study. Once you screen for a study, you should make every effort to check in. It is inappropriate to cancel a study once you’ve screened just because a better study comes out. If a study doesn’t have enough volunteers checking in, it may be postponed or cancelled. How would you feel if a study that you really wanted to do got cancelled because a bunch of people quit at the last minute? Okay then. it’s a two way street. Once you start the study, you should finish all parts including multiple stays, out-patients and follow-up phone calls.

I know several people who have violated this rule and have lived to regret their decision. The most common way people violate this is by jumping to better studies. Let’s say you signed up and screened for a $4,000 study that starts in 3 weeks. Then a $6,000 study comes out so you go screen for that one. This study starts roughly the same time as the first so you cancel the $4,000 study. Then the second clinic calls and informs you that the $6,000 study has been cancelled. Bummer. You cancelled the first study so now you have nothing. I have heard worse stories than that and they all end up the same way. They got greedy and tried to make more money in less time and ended up with nothing. I can’t seem to say it enough, ‘just sign up for a study and follow it through to the end.’ Whether the end be the end of the study or a cancellation. Don’t keep switching studies until you get what you want because studies get cancelled or postponed at an alarming frequency. Unless you have the money to wait six to eight weeks between studies for that big one everyone keeps rumoring about, you’d better just choose the best study available and be happy with something rather than nothing.