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January 22, 2024 06:16PM

I have not been having much luck finding mystery shops worth doing so I have cut back and have started doing medical research studies. I'm finding these studies to be more lucrative and easier overall. Really, once you qualify all you have to do is show up, cooperate, and follow instructions. Many less moving parts are involved vs. mystery shopping, but I will still take shops that I believe are worthwhile. Morocco77

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January 22, 2024 06:18PM

Do the research studies involve you having to take medicines not yet approved? or do you mind describing them?

January 22, 2024 06:26PM

@BarefootBliss wrote:

Do the research studies involve you having to take medicines not yet approved? or do you mind describing them?

I do later Phase studies that involve medications already approved. There are Phase 1 studies that pay very very well but they involve medications that are not yet approved for the most part and I am not down with that level of risk. So I take the studies that pay around 1 to 2K over a period of say six months which to me is nice income support and they are easy peasy once you qualify. Morocco77

January 22, 2024 06:29PM

I've been doing clinical research for almost 20 years. Yes, it pays well but you can only participate occasionally. You have to meet the requirements of the study which involves many conditions such as age and medical history along with many other factors and you cannot do them in tandem or within X# of months of each other. You also need to be near a location where a facility conducts these studies or within a commutable distance. When I first started, the pay was considered a "Stipend" and did not generate a 1099. Now I get a 1099.

ETA: I bailed on the Ebola study after the intro meeting because it involved significant risk to anyone I would subsequently have contact with, which way too much responsibility for me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2024 06:32PM by sestrahelena.

January 22, 2024 06:42PM

Are these done at hospitals then? Would I contact my possible hospital ?

January 22, 2024 07:27PM

Most clinical research, from what I have seen is done by companies/clinics that specialize in just the research aspect. They are not usually done in hospitals. I did an internet search which gave me some leads as well as some dead ends.

January 22, 2024 07:29PM

@morocco77 wrote:

I have not been having much luck finding mystery shops worth doing so I have cut back and have started doing medical research studies. I'm finding these studies to be more lucrative and easier overall. Really, once you qualify all you have to do is show up, cooperate, and follow instructions. Many less moving parts are involved vs. mystery shopping, but I will still take shops that I believe are worthwhile. Morocco77

Yes, I only do the fast food/restaurant ones mostly for the free meals. The other ones don't seem to be worth the time, the long list of requirements or the low fees.

January 22, 2024 08:28PM

I was on a clinical phase 3 study once- weight loss med. I was poked, prodded measured and criticized if I had not lost weight taking the med in a week- had tons of blood drawn- I mean like 15 tubes every week and was annoyed an hour a week for a whopping $25 payment. After a year on the study I was told to immediately discontinue the med as it caused cancer in the cecum of mice. The company doing the research LIED and said humans have no cecum so do not worry- well not true humans do have cecums. No thanks to being a guinea pig to some study. I lost 16 pounds on the placebo and thankfully was on the cancer causing med for only 6 months. The person who lost the most weight was on the placebo all the time- drug was a bust and caused cancer to boot. If I ever did get cancer it was on me as I had to sign papers saying I knew the risks. I would think twice about doing this unless you are truly desperate for money- I am not!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2024 08:30PM by SueW70.

January 22, 2024 08:44PM

Literally, yes, but not due to anything on my end. I have three categories in which I will apply for work and only one has been, of late, available. As I am far from desperate for money, I am unwilling to toil for the enrichment of MSCs. My participation in a job will only occur when the rewards are bilaterally mutual.

I do not now, have not in the past and will not in the future criticize any MSC for paying the least fees possible to extract the greatest amount of work. In addition, this post is in no way meant to denigrate those for whom a need exists to accept shops,

January 22, 2024 08:55PM

@shopperbob wrote:

Literally, yes, but not due to anything on my end. I have three categories in which I will apply for work and only one has been, of late, available. As I am far from desperate for money, I am unwilling to toil for the enrichment of MSCs. My participation in a job will only occur when the rewards are bilaterally mutual.

I do not now, have not in the past and will not in the future criticize any MSC for paying the least fees possible to extract the greatest amount of work. In addition, this post is in no way meant to denigrate those for whom a need exists to accept shops,

Nicely said ShopperBob

Shopping within about 75 miles of Albany NY

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