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Spaulding Clinical
I know many people do it. What am I talking about? Plan B. It’s tough to get into a study sometimes and with the possibility of cancellations, postponements and just not getting into a study, it only seems right to have a backup plan. While it may seem like good intentions, it can backfire.
Let’s say that you signed up to screen for Study A on the 1st and it checks in on the 14th. You then sign up for Study B which screens on the 3rd and checks in on the 18th. So, if for whatever reason you don’t get into Study A, then you could still get into Study B. Sounds simple, right? Wrong! So let’s assume that you pass the screening for both studies so you check into Study A. You make it in. So when Study B calls to confirm check in, you of course have to decline. While yes, you can withdraw your consent at anytime, a clinic may penalize you on future studies. Some clinics will temporarily ban you from doing studies while others will do nothing. It’s not so bad when you cancel a study before the screening as the clinic hasn’t spent but a few dollars but if you cancel once you have screened, the clinic has spent on average $450 to screen you. This is of course part of running a study but if the clinic has too many qualified people canceling at the last minute, then it eats into the bottom line and of course clinics are businesses (there to make money) so they will make adjustments to their policies to curve the problems. Furthermore, if too many people cancel out of a study and the clinic can’t screen enough people to replace those in time; the study can be postponed or cancelled. So the problems you’re trying to avoid can lead to the same problems for your fellow volunteers.
Okay, so is it bad to have a backup? Yes and no. If you cancel a study for a legitimate reason such as a death in the family, family emergency, then no, that’s life. But if you have a pattern of constantly signing up and canceling studies, then clinics are going to notice and may crack down.
Going through my own issues right now. Just another reminder about the inherent instability that comes with volunteering or at least trying to volunteer full-time. Studies come and go. Money comes and go. It can take 3 days or 3 months to get into a study. The clinics and sponsors are emotionless entities that can’t care about your personal life other than what directly affects the study. They don’t care if your rent is due or your car is being repoed. Anyhoo, being a lab rat is just like being the real animal. Life is full of uncertainties.
Okay, so that’s a bit drastic. But the reality of the situation is that times are tough right now. The prolonged recession is affecting the pharmaceutical industry which in turn affects the research and development which in turn affects the need for volunteers. Will things get better? Yes. This has happened before. The demand for volunteers fluctuates depending on the stages of a particular drug. When drugs first come on the scene, as in first in man, the trials require 6 to 8 subjects per cohort and there are usually 4 to 6 cohorts. As the study progresses, more and more volunteers are required until the study switches over to patient trials which require even more volunteers. Sometimes there are more first in man studies than later stage studies and sometimes it’s the opposite but most times its an even mix.
But it’s so hard right now! I feel all of your pains! Believe me! I live the same life you do. I’m scheduled to check-in to a fantastic study one day and am digging holes in a field for 6 bucks an hour the next. Being a lab rat full time can be rough, I mean rough. With no guarantees of a stipend check, it can be very difficult to plan ahead. Certainly it would be nice if the dedicated volunteers such as us had some more security in our work but with the way the industry works that is not possible.
Things will improve but we have to be patient. There are studies out there. They may not be the highest paying but they all lead towards a better, healthier future for everyone. As I’ve mentioned before, there is risk involved with doing studies. Not only the possibility of uncomfortable side-effects but the reality that nothing is guaranteed as a volunteer. We are all here out of our own freewill and fully understand the risks involved. Sponsors may cancel and postpone studies at the last minute but there is usually a legitimate reason involved. Whether it is restructuring the study because of safety concerns or the FDA steps in, it’s all geared towards keeping clinical research studies as safe as possible. Obviously, there is no way to prevent all problems that come up but that is the whole point of conducting research trials, to make sure that as many side-effects are detected as possible.
So, keep a sharp eye out for studies and don’t panic. While I would recommend being open to other opportunities, don’t count out the future of clinical research.
