Have any of you considered clinical trials to add to your MSing for extra money? You test medicines under the direction of a doctor. I try out for a lot but get in a few. Of course, the way it works is one at a time. I am currently in one for a shingles vaccination. I took the vaccination and for about three years afterwards I give monthly reports on my health to someone who calls me. I get my annual visit and the phone calls paid for. It is about to end.

I was looking for the next one to be in the other day and happily found a program that pays me just to be tested to see if I qualify. It was good pay, too. Unfortunately, I had to have higher blood pressure than that of a "ten year old" in order to qualify. To have that happy news after two failed visits, I was paid $180. I almost never get paid that much. I also got a free EKG out of it so I know my heart's good, too.

Since I rarely take meds anyway, testing new ones doesn't appeal to me.

"Hmmm...Pleasant taste....some monsterism." -- Dr. Julius Hibbert, "The Simpsons," assessing the impact of an experimental drug that turns Bart into the hunchback of Notre Dame

Hell no. After seeing the side effect lists of some drugs that actually get FDA approval, you won't catch me near anything experimental short of it being a last ditch effort to cure a fatal condition. "People taking this drug may experience vomiting, dry mouth, watery eyes, dehydration, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, brittle toenails, excessive hair growth, gingivitis, dandruff, tar buildup on the lungs, gout, kidney failure, athlete's foot, insomnia, paranoia, schizophrenia, psychosis, speaking in tongues, scurvy, bird flu, dysentery, Bubonic Plague, feline leukemia, lyme disease, rabies and spontaneous combustion."

I saw a drug ad on TV that stated "In some rare cases, people taking XYZ developed cancer".......WTF? Cancer is not a side effect!!

I was just given a creme (under Dr's care) that has a side effect of Cancer,
stated loud and clear on the instructions. Not a clinical test, I need it
for a short time, I am being watched, and hope to be off it within one month.
I wouldn't take anything unless my Dr. said I need it, why risk your health.

I read an article about some parents even signing their kids up for clinical testing. I think its one thing if you want to do it, but leave the kids out of it!

I'm with you, Hudge95. Informed consent of an adult is one thing, but leave the kids out of it. Unless it's for a life-threatening condition, I can't imagine any parent putting a kid on a trial like that.

You do know, don't you, that by the time those trials get to us, they are almost a shoo-in for approval?

And yes, there are side effects.

The FDA is a much better friend to pharmaceutical companies than us. If there's a clinical trial involving nature-derived materials, I'm in, otherwise, no thank you. Unfortunately, those trials are very ill-funded, and the samples are much too small to make a significant impression. There are plenty small studies whose results warrant larger ones, but are ignored or tabled. An absolute shame, but the truth is, there is a lot of money in illness.

I have been in several clinical trials that ran over several years and did not pay a whole heck of a lot. I fit in the 'control group' category as I did not have the signs/symptoms that would warrant use of the drugs so was well aware that I was there to check for potential side effects. I was in a late stage trial as the earlier stages were for those who were afflicted and for them the drug promised hope for relief. But of course many of those who are already ill are taking a plethora of medications so it is difficult if not impossible to determine whether side effects are a reaction to the drug under study, drug interactions with other medications the patient needs to stay alive or are attributing anything/everything to the trial medication.

I was informed in writing of the risks and potential side effects. In conversation I was told that depending on the dose I was randomly assigned for the duration that it would cause, A, B, C or D as a specific drug effect. I found the potential effect perfectly acceptable as it was not life threatening, permanent or continuing once I was taken off of the drug. I found the doc to have given a fair and competent presentation of the effects and proceeded.

During the trials I received absolutely the best medical care I could ever hope for. I received base line and subsequent tests such as bone density, mammograms, frequent blood and urine work that covered a much broader spectrum of items than the standard blood work by my doctor. All of those test results I was given a copy of to share with my regular doc. I was seen very frequently by the nurse and the doctor who were working on the study and they even provided some non-study medical information and assistance. I would LOVE to have the doc as my 'regular physician' but unfortunately she only does clinical trials.

My 'pay' for a 2 year trial was around $200, which is relatively insignificant for the amount of time involved. I would go back into an appropriate late stage trial in a heartbeat with this doc. Unfortunately there have been none that I qualified for in the past 6 years.

I had no side effects. I am pretty sure I was on a low dose of the drug because I did get a mild version of the drug's effect, which was dealt with at the end of the study and was rechecked 6 months later. I am the perfect candidate for a control group because I am on no medications at all.

They do have clincial testing at a very high end Beverly Hills office, where rent is sky high, so, they are getting paid good money. I read about their
testing in the l.A. Times often. They do need volunteers, and perhaps are
very careful using only good Dr.'s, as they could be sued. Drugs will not produce bad effects if small does are given, or used for a small amount of time, as opposed to years. For those without Ins., and in need, this can be a way to check your health. I personally wouldn't put myself through it "for the money", but for those who need it, go for it. The risk is no different than getting medication fron your doctor. I thought about this, and if it works for you,
why not?

My perspective is a little different because of the dim view I have of the FDA and big pharma, as well as believing in (and having had tremendous success with) alternative medicine. I also know many people who have been involved with clinical trials for a specific illness, and that has definitely affected my view. That said, I would consider a clinical trial for myself if I wanted to be treated for a condition, and the drug was promising, with no life-threatening side effects. At the end of the day, to each their own. I'm just too busy trying to stay off drugs for real stuff to think about taking one as part of a control group!

In the interest of getting more money if you can't get enough good-paying mystery shops--

In addition to clinical trials, you can sell your blood plasma. Of course, some of you might think that might impact health as well. I started when I was in graduate school for three reasons. The university newspaper had a coupon for extra pay on the first visit. I needed the money. I had developed a fear of needles and needed this to help me get over it.

Since only the plasma is taken, the subject can go often. I was sometimes told that my blood pressure wasn't high enough and to run around the block and come back. I never did. If pressure was low, I didn't give up any blood.

I quit for several years because my husband was concerned about health consequences. When I went back, that needle looked as big as a garden hose! What is surprising is that the plasma center can take extra blood from overweight people, and pay extra for it. I didn't know that when I was a slim graduate student.

There are other programs, such as taking tetanus shots or hepatitis shots and getting extra pay for the blood. I didn't know about these until I stopped going. I thought the person had to have hepatitis, not just the antibodies.

CORI even has a shop selling plasma in some markets. It has an age limit of 60, but back before I hit that age I used to go fairly frequently with substantial bonuses. Due to the nature of the process, the location of the center and the bulk of the clientele, it was likely to take the better part of a day, but when you are paid a substantial amount for the shop, a reasonable amount for the plasma and an additional amount for being a frequent donor, it can fairly quickly get to be worth wasting a day on.

I too was a plasma seller back in college and indeed a group of us from the dorm would pile in the car every Thursday morning to go. As a student, 'free orange juice, coffee and donuts' was an incentive, but the pay was also better than babysitting a passel of faculty brats. Most of us studied for the hour or so the process took.

Yes, I did those CORI shops. It was good pay overall. I had a job for a while that interfered with their schedule, so I just quit.

Yes I have also heard quiet good things about it.

I've never donated plasm but I have donated blood to the Red Cross. My best friend heard something about it from a friend and said you can do both. Dunno, but my 16 year old is dedicated to going as frequently as he can. To the point of being irritated when I had to reschedule us twice (once due to a car accident). I guess I should be happy he cares that much. I know nothing about giving plasma other than I've heard it's paid, but I would consider doing it.

I've done a few "clinical" trials. Two were for my sons but one was a hearing test and the other a visual test to see what attracts babies, so no drugs on either. I was present for both. Never left my babies. Nothing inappropriate, startling, loud, or harmful. Neither paid much but I did it out of curiosity and to help the universities. Another was for me to see the emotional effects over time regarding a traumatic experience. One was a relationship study.

I've only taken a drug once and it'd already been FDA approved for one type of treatment but they were testing to see if it made a difference in another, something to do with the legs, like restless leg syndrome or something. My endo told me about it as he was treating my thyroid and also doing all kinds of research for diabetes and such. I got $20 for each weekly session of testing but took the medicine once a day. During testing, I had to lay down, stay still, and stay awake but I kept falling asleep. They'd wake me up and have to redo that part of the test. If it wasn't so dark and boring and the machine didn't make a whirring sound like a fan (always sleep with one on), then I would've been okay. It got to be annoying because even just starting to drift off ruined the test somehow.