Question on relative safety of 3 separate studies

[puntkicker]

Greetings fellow labrats.  I have less than 48 hours to decide on which of 3 studies to choose.  There are logistical factors involved as well, but I'd really be grateful if some folks could chime in on their opinions about the safety aspects, even if they only knew about 1 out of the 3, thanks.  (PS: even if you read this too late, please feel free to respond as I will still be interested, and you can help out others on the board as well, thanks!!)

1)First study involves radioactive carbon 14 attached to a drug being developed for auto-immune diss such as rheumatoid arthritis.  The half life of carbon-14 is over 5,000 years, and I have no idea how well it is excreted from the body, which I imagine is what they want to study with the drug. Three lucky winners get to have tubes inserted in both nostrils with a numbing agent for an extra $200.  

2) An oral study drug taken for cancer, rising single dose amounts to test for tolerability.  Im wondering what drugs meant to kill cancer cells/or treat symptoms do in healthy folks, or in cancer patients for that matter.  Safety understandably seems to be less of an issue for folks with terminal diseases.  The study requires that women be post-menopausal or surgically sterile.  This concerns me a bit, and studies like this sound more risky to me.  I'm curious to get as many opinions on this one as possible, as there are many studies like this, and your answers could benefit others as well.

3) A 1 dose study of a drug being developed for ADHD, or a placebo, or a FDA approved anti-biotic, on the heart rate and electrical activity of folks taking it.  That in itself causes some concern for me, but here is the rest.  A monitor must be worn for awhile before dosing, until 30 hours afterward.  

a)the ADHD drug:  Some slight worry what it may do with heart speed and moreso the electrical activity.  Are there any veterans who can comment on these tests that study the effects on the heart?

b)the antibiotic: While I understand the placebo or other ADHD drugs, why in the bleep would they throw an antibiotic in the test!?!?!?!?  I dont really like antibiotics and destroying the healthy microorganisms in my body.  Seriously, does anyone have any ideas why they would be included in this mix, along with a placebo, and not another adhd drug?

c)the placebo: Should be no harm to worry about here, unless I get the placebo effect from worrying about the other 2 drugs(I'm only half joking, for anyone who understands the placebo effect).

Anyhow, I am new here, and hoping to avoid folks who answer with smartass replies rather than things constructive to the community.  I hope to become a decent contributor and make this place less dead once I am no longer new to these studies.  I appreciate your help with this, it's a tough enough decision just considering logistics, but these concerns also make it heavier for me.  

Thanks in advance, and best wishes for all of you with your studies.  

[travelingrat]

i have never done a radioactive drug study but i avoid arthritis studies in general. the ads on tv for arthritis drugs that are ALREADY approved and in use always list awful side effects.

on the other hand, i have done many studies for drugs that may potentially treat cancer. i have experienced side effects of nausea and vomiting with some of them and i think a few also lowered my BP significantly (temporarily of course). but these side effects were tolerable. one time was quite unpleasant for about 4 hours but the guy doing the study with me played spa-type music on his laptop for me and eventually i was able to go to sleep.

a friend told me she would never do a cancer drug study because they "kill cells." i haven't asked any doctors about this. but for me, i have zero problems doing anti-cancer drug studies. i've been exposed to pesticides my whole life so does it really matter?? (Just a rhetorical question.)

the third study: i have done a lot of studies requiring Holter monitors for long periods of time. i always figure, good, they will know right away if soing is going wrong. re the antibiotic: maybe the sponsor wants to test 2 drugs in the same study? i have never heard of this but a single dose of anything (ADHD drug or antibiotic or placebo!) doesn't sound risky to me unless the listed possible side effects sound really awful.

i wish i had more scientific answers to give you, but my interests lie in economics. i doubt if any of the above will be useful to you, but i am responding anyway just in case.

as long as the compensation was appmately equal and i was able to tolerate conditions at each of the clinics, i would go for the anti-cancer drug study. this is just me ( because i have done so many cancer drug studies)! there may be more logical reasons to do either of the other 2 studies and hopefully others will have better answers for you!

there are several smartass types on this forum so good luck with that.

[ac]

I would also go with study two. I don't see anything wrong with it. Number one is radio label so you will have bodily fluids collected for the entire study. I can't poop in a bucket when they want me to so don't do those studies. Also, I have heard the tubes up your nose can be Very uncomfortable. There are enough "normal" studies that you should never have to settle for one like that. Number three I wouldn't do because having ECG leads stuck to me for long periods of time leaves a painful mark where my skin used to be once they are eventually taken off.

As long as you are not going across the country for a small amount of money then I would say study two is the obvious choice.

[labrat1981]

**** the drugs ! How much does each study pay.....?

[puntkicker]

Thank you for your help, all of you!(even labrat1981 lol). And traveling rat, your opinions matter, even if they arent backed with scientific data like you said.  We all have our reasons, right?  I was surprised and pleased to see replies, after seeing other pleas for help that got none. I do not take them for granted!

To answer labrat1981(plus the milage ac mentioned, and I may get mocked for the money and miles, but I need some cash soon and this is the one month all year I have 2 or 3 separate out of town dates to work around, which eliminates most studies!) :

1)carbon 14(with 3 people getting the nose things) for autoimmune like rheumatoid arthritis, 965 miles, $3650-5100 9-16 days, no outpatient visits(we like that phrase, right?)

2)cancer drug, 965 miles also, single rising oral doses, 965 miles, $2400, 9 days, no OPV. However, the screening is the 10th and my car is in the shop on the 9th, so this one is looking like a last resort now. Yes, this is the 2nd car appointment Ive recentlt had, specifically for these road trips(I still have to get my windshield replaced too...Ive been a low-roller lately, but am getting into a bit of debt to try to help stay out of it in the future).

3) ADHD drug/placebo/fda approved antibiotic, wearing monitor for maybe 32 or so hours. 794 miles, $2000(dont laugh), 5 days, no OPV.
I also got an email today about another study and was told to call, but they were close when I called.

Honestly, right now I'm leaning toward #3 due to the dates, and due to the adhd drug not bothering me at all, nor the placebo. I suppose as long as they are equally respresented, I have a decent chance of not getting the antibiotic which I wish to avoid. Let me know if you think I'm way off base. Again, I am very grateful for your help, the replies seem understanding instead of the ones I excpected that made me hesitant to post! I'm still crossing my fingers about the new mystery study email I got today, but am tempering my expectations due to the dates this month which will not work. I called about these studies on Saturday(and another which had filled), so all of this is rather new in my head which is why Im grateful for your help. If I get into a study and complete it, I will try to give feedback about the company, etc, to help with some data points for folks.

[travelingrat]

if i am understanding you correctly, the one with the ADHD drug or the antibiotic is single dose for either one. my opinion is that one dose of an antibiotic will not mess up your intestinal flora very much at all.

the Holter monitor tabs are tough on the skin, but even though my skin is sensitive, it has healed fairly quickly afterwards, even after several days. that sounds like a good choice. hey, 5 days for $2000, that is quick and good, especially if no outpatient visits.

so it sounds like a very good choice to me to do that one.

best wishes to you!

[ac]

Since you seem to be a little picky about what pills you take i'd do study 3. I called about the $2400 study(#2) and you would not like that one. The group you are thinking about screening for is group F. It's an ascending dose study which means you would be taking a high dose since you are the 6th group. They said they didn't know how many mgs the dose would be for that group but it would be between 600-1200mgs which would be 12-24 pills at one time. That's a lot of pills. Compare that to a FDA approved anti-biotic and it should be an easy choice to take the already FDA approved drug compared to the high dose of an experimental drug. $2000 isn't very much when you take out travel costs and taxes but that may be your best option for now. Have you checked the studies in the Kansas City area? That would be closer. If you plan to do studies for a while you may want to consider moving to an area with more studies. Denver is not good for a professional labrat.

[puntkicker]

I really appreciate all of the advice, sincerely...and the well wishes too! I went with #3. It's Covance(Dallas) if anyone cares. They actually gave me a choice of locations at the end of a seemingly epic phone call(in which I accidentally hung up twice, the 2nd time being humorous to me being it happened right when she was asking me about my sex life!). I found the CHOICE OF CITIES(yes, I'm doing that for those skimming) odd, and am curious if that is soing Covance normally does? It was just listed as in Dallas. The first 2 studies are also Covance, listed for Madison, WI.

After having my last 2 studies(including an earlier cohort of this very study) denied me due to being filled, I'm more excited than apparently folks expect others to be for a 2k study. Hey if anyone from Denver ever reads this, I found out flights to Phoenix(Celerion) can actually be cheaper than driving($99 or less on Spirit vs $120). Yes, I've literally been LIVING this...I mean some days with probably 8-12 hours of OCD type behavior, especially since this was the one month all year I had a bunch of dates I had to plan around. Flights, mapquest, between various cities I already have plans or tentative ones in, the math of gas and hotels(realizing I'd have to get there the night before), looking at that $9400 study in Chicago and deciding how long I'd like to just saty out there and live in a motel vs driving back every week, etc. Searching keywords and trying to find things I hadn't seen yet.... I wonder if this is semi-common for those seeking to do out of state stuff for the first time? September will be much easier for me, as there wont be 3 different sets of dates I have to avoid, and I'm kind of excited to see what this "whole new world" looks like when I can just go after anything that looks good... it may feel like taking training weights off, although I cant say Ive ever used them.

I'd like to review my experience when I'm done and try to potentially help others. I suppose I can at the very least verify/update the VCT question, which after much of my sifting still seems semi-conflicting?

AC, yes I've tried with Quintiles for the $3750 study, but even though it doesnt show as being full(it still allows you to apply online vs having the button replaced with "check back soon"), I was told on the phone it was full. Vince and Associates might have not had anything I qualified for. I think I found another place but am not recalling for sure at the moment. I may consider moving but not just yet. What are the top cities for it, in your opinion?

Travelingrat, thanks again for setting me at ease about my flora(which I realize may sound silly to some). Also thanks for the info on that holter thing. I had/have little idea what it would be like. I figured the attachments might be similar to an EKG, but from your experience it sounds like they are more harsh coming off?

One more thing. I picked the 3rd of 4 screening dates, as it was the only one that worked for me. She said the only time available was 10am, and I have no idea if that's relatively early or late. I realize 3rd of 4 isn't optimal for professional labrats, but does anyone have any thoughts on what my chances(on average, from what you know of Covance or in general) would be like? Thanks again, I feel very fortunate to have found this board and have others to discuss this with.

[ac]

Screening doesn't matter at all at some clinics and at others it's very important. Covance varies by location and Dallas is the only one I haven't been to so I don't know if it matters there. Madison I have screened the last day multiple times and still got in. Evansville, matters.
Best cities(general areas) for professional labrats would be Austin,TX: Clinics in Austin, San Antonio, Houston,and Dallas. Kansas City: Has several clinics on south side of KC plus several more in Missouri. Southern Wisconsin: Covance in Madison, Spaulding in West Bend, and in Grayslake,IL. I live in Wisconsin and have done 19 out of 22 studies at one of those 3 locations. If you live near any of those hubs then you should never have to travel more than a few hours to a clinic.

[Venepuncture]

Aug 7, 2016 12:09:46 GMT -5 travelingrat said:

a friend told me she would never do a cancer drug study because they "kill cells." i haven't asked any doctors about this. but for me, i have zero problems doing anti-cancer drug studies. 

I have heard others say this too about cancer studies and it has made me reluctant. Specifically that it kills off white blood cell count and there is a chance the med could alter your body's ability to generate white blood cells in the future, which ironically could end up potentially GIVING you cancer. I also have no clue if this is correct, would love to hear about the science behind this if travelingrat or anyone else can illuminate. I would be to trying them, and it sounds like you have had generally good experiences. Travelingrat, I assume your WBC count has been solid even after doing cancer studies? Also interested to know how many cancer ones you have done.

I know I am late to the thread, but Puntkicker, I would go with the ADHD one. I did an ADHD med over last spring and it was actually kinda fun (although no antibiotic, and I understand your concern there). The med was basically like a really strong cup of coffee, just made everyone talkative and made me sweat a little (coffee does that to me too). Would be interested to hear about how the study went for you.