medical/criminal record question during screening

[antecubital]

Jul 19, 2014 18:29:33 GMT -5 gutterratt said:

I know most clinics ask if you've ever been convicted of a crime. I have three misdemeanors (kinda recent). Can anyone give me advice whether I should just tell them I don't have a record and hope they over look it or be truthful (this has caused me nothing but frustration in my experience)? My mental health record is kinda shabby as well. Does anyone know if they actively screen every volunteer for their medical/criminal record. Keep the morals, I need advice from experience please. Thank you fellow lab rats.

That's a tough call. Who knows if clincs really do background checks, or just ask and expect you to be truthful about your criminal record? If you lie and they don't check, you're in. Then again, if you tell the truth, you may still be in. But for those same convictions, if you like and they check, you're out because you lied. Tough call.

If you have a criminal conviction but are healthy, why should you be excluded from a study, unless you're still on probation?

Mental health records? Shouldn't those be confidential? If so, don't mention it. They can't check up on your private medical records without your consent, and they don't usually ask to check stuff like that.

[gutterratt]

Thanks for the insight antecubital. Are you saying you're barred for good from a clinic if they catch you in lie? I mean hell, they have you sign a bunch of release information, I figure it depends on how much time they spend on each investigating each individual volunteer.

We'll see what happens. Anymore input would be cool, otherwise I'll report what happens. Unless the moderators will delete my posts.

[travelingrat]

i don't have a criminal record but my experiences with clinics are that the less you tell them about anything, the better. i have gotten to the point that except for a few visible scars that i obviously have to tell them the reason for, i do not reveal much of anything. even for one of those scars, i do not bring it up and if they mention it, i say, omg, i forgot to put that down and then explain what it is from. (i started out in my labrat career being super-honest about every little thing but ended up seriously regretting that.)

i know this is not too helpful as a specific answer (sorry) but as a general answer, it might help some. best wishes to you, and i really mean that.

[mike]

I've made this point in previous threads, but man some of you people really have to contend with some sketchy clinics in the Midwest or the Northeast. In the 40 or 50 studies I have done in Texas, Arizona, California, and one in Kansas, not once have I been asked anything about my criminal history. They always ask about mental health history, but this is clearly more from the standpoint of getting an accurate medical history, not because they are worried that I am freaking crazy and that I might get in the study, and then strip off all my clothes and start flinging the feces.

[vark]

Policies vary widely by clinic. I don't think I've been asked about crimes. (Except at the Canadian b last week.) checks for felonies. The old used to get a lot of thug types who were pretty rowdy. The new facility controls a bit more for that, and has enough space that every body can get along. Biomedica in St Charles doesn't check for crimes and it should; the criminal element predominates there. Many clinics are urban, some are suburban, only a few are out in the country. Clinics tend to reflect their immediate areas, although staff can set a tone by how they recruit.

[gutterratt]

Mike, would they disqualify you for having a less than spotless medical history? I aint crazy either, they just seem super selective and I was treated for conditions along time ago that are no longer relevant. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it usually seems better to just keep your mouth shut in general, lest you risk being disqualified for soing trivial that you "thought you just might want to note."

I'm kinda a newbie when it comes to all this so what I'm asking is thins - as a lab rat is it overall beneficial to better to keep your mouth shut regarding most things or do clinics have a tendency to investigate then call you out and document it?

[hairyscarylarry]

I've learned that its best to keep one's mouth shut, except for anything visible (tattoos, large scars, etc.). At many clinics, if you say you 'sometimes' have a back ache, that's enough for them to disqualify you. Better to ask forgiveness than permission, as a Lab Rat.

[gutterratt]

Tattoos are a problem?

[mike]

I have been in numerous studies where a tattoo could disqualify you, depending on where it is, but this is not the norm.

And yes, if you ask anyone who has much experience doing studies, they will tell you that you just need to learn to use your discretion about what you tell clinics; the reality is that there are many things that can cause you a lot of trouble dealing with a clinic, and very possibly cause you to get disqualified from the study, but in reality they are things that don't matter, like if you took 3 aspirin 3 weeks ago, or if you smoked but you quit 15 years ago, or if you were on some antidepressant 9 years ago...
If everyone who came in to screen for a study told the clinics every little detail of their history, then no one would ever get into a study.

[travelingrat]

Jul 27, 2014 21:42:06 GMT -5 mike said:

I have been in numerous studies where a tattoo could disqualify you, depending on where it is, but this is not the norm.


If everyone who came in to screen for a study told the clinics every little detail of their history, then no one would ever get into a study.

SO TRUE.

and there are some clinics that once you are disqualified at a screening, you are blacklisted. i was way too honest years ago at parexel and i have never been able to get back in, despite the fact that i have done many studies in 8 states since then.