Clinical trials are an extremely important part of modern medical science. All new drugs in the EU need to be tested before they can be granted a Product License and made available to those who they are intended to treat. Existing drugs that have been altered and updated are also required to undergo re-testing before their licenses can be renewed. Most clinical trials are short-term and rarely last longer than 30 days. Some are much quicker and require only 1 or 2 days of treatment. Volunteers are therefore constantly required to take part in medical studies.
Why Take Part?
Thousands of people regularly take part in clinical trials and there are many motivational reasons for taking part. Some people do it for altruistic reasons, others get involved to help in the fight against a condition that affects them. Volunteers are often paid quite well for their services, often receiving between £500 and £3000 for taking part in a single trial, but it is important to remember that regardless of the motivational factor, every volunteer could play a part in a medical breakthrough that alleviates suffering for thousands or millions of others. The level of remuneration is directly related to the length of time that is needed to complete the trial, and the financial reward is intended to recompense the volunteer for time they could have spent working.
Trial Criteria
Clinical research professionals take the safety of volunteers very seriously, and all volunteers must undergo a rigorous medical examination before they are accepted to take part in a trial. Sometimes, volunteers must also agree to meet certain conditions once the trial begins. This can mean not smoking, and drinking is also often prohibited. Everything is taken into consideration to ensure both the safety of the volunteer, and the scientific validity of the clinical trial. Different trials require different categories of volunteer. Some trials will require healthy males aged over 18, for example, while others will demand females aged over 55 years. Some trials are specifically for patients suffering from a particular disease, while others require their testers to be fit and healthy. Volunteers are only permitted to take part in one trial at a time, and must leave a gap of at least 3 months before applying to take part in another trial.
Meet New People
Whilst there is a strict schedule during a trial, there remains plenty of spare time to socialize with other volunteers or relax. Medical research clinics generally provide very good entertainment facilities for their volunteers, since they may be spending a fair amount of time there whilst taking part in a study. Common facilities include pool tables and libraries. Internet access and games consoles.
How volunteers Are Helping to Advance Medical Science
Volunteers are often motivated by the comforting knowledge that their contribution is an important way of helping to further medical science, and thus improve or even save lives. They may have been affected by the suffering of a close family member, or they may be suffering with a condition themselves. Medical advancements have brought about the global eradication of smallpox, and delivered effective vaccines for polio, diphtheria, and over devastating illnesses. Because new treatments can not be made available for prescription until they have undergone clinical trials, volunteers really do play a key role in the continual struggle to deliver more effective medicines.
About the Author – This post was written by Nick Davison, Nick writes on a number of topics including Health, Psychology, and Medical Development.
