First study (hopefully). Named as an alternate.

[alan77]

I qualified for a MedPace study which starts on Tuesday (successfully screened last week). However, I was named as a back up. They told me to come in and pack as if I was going to stay, but I'm currently an alternate. I didn't quite understand what she was saying, but it sounds like there are 4 people who won't dose that are on standby (do these people stay at the facility for the whole study?), and then 4 additional back ups. I'm the 2nd "additional" back up. What are my chances? From what I gather, these studies are in pretty high demand and people who make it in are probably going to be there. Should I even show up?

[Deleted]

Yes, show up. Otherwise, you could be banned.

When you're an alternate, or backup, it's been my experience that you stay no longer than the day of the dosing. Essentially, you stay right until whoever is getting dosed gets dosed. You're there in case any of the primaries fall through. And yeah, it happens. Either my last study, or the one before that (they do blur), I was the second alternate of four. We all got in.

Primaries fall through for a variety of reasons, including not showing up, BP issues, or otherwise having blood values that fall outside the desired range.

Go. You might just get in.

[travelingrat]

hi alan77! i have been designated an alternate in 4 different studies: once in celerion tempe, once in celerion NJ, once in covance DB, and once in clinilabs NYC. each time i thought i had NO CHANCE, and each time i successfully made it in. the funniest time was at celerion NJ last year for one of their studies where they took 2 little pieces of skin for a lupus study. one girl got caught by VCT ... but they were super nice about it, just gave her a check for $150 on the spot. then there was a young guy and me. i was pretty sure they would go with the young guy, but they gave us a horrible lunch of a disgusting chicken lunch meat sandwich. i jsut had the bread and juice (i am "experienced" haha). the guy wolfed down the whole sandwich (we had been there forever) and vomited everything 10 minutes later. so i was sorry for him but ecstatic for me ($1000 for 2 quick OP visits).

so my vote is to go. and i really hope you make it. of course, it will be a bummer not to but most clinics will give at least $150 for that one night. that info should be on your consent form or you can call them.

best wishes to you!

also, some clinics will give you preferential treatment on the next study you screen for if you end up as an alternate. ask about this if you do not make it.

celerion usually does this and i remember a clinic in KS that did it for a friend of mine, don't remember if it was quintiles or PRA. there are probably others as well.

[mike]

Yeah Celerion is bad about this, several studies I screened for in Tempe they would often use A LOT of alternates, like 8 or 10, which really sucks. It's great for them because they can cover any vacancies but bad for you if you're an alternate and you waste a lot of time for chump change.

That said, what the others have said here is true, it's usually worth it to take a shot at the alternate. In most cases you have a good chance of getting in. Especially if the drug is one that is harder to tolerate; I have gotten in a few studies that way when a couple lightweights had to drop out.
I remember a study I did in St. Charles where a guy in front of me was bragging about how he can take any drug no problemo; 10 minutes after they dosed with the opiate-type painkiller, he was moaning and groaning with his head on the table, and I got the spot he vacated.

[puntkicker]

Do clinics really tell you if you're an alternate before you arrive? I'd imagine people traveling long distances would be less willing to show up, if that were the case. I'm guessing at least some clinics don't tell you?

Dont get me wrong, I'd prefer knowing if I was one.

[mike]

You won't know until check-in.

[puntkicker]

Sept 27, 2016 1:56:09 GMT -5 mike said:

You won't know until check-in.

That's what I thought, but the wording in this thread seems to indicate otherwise, so I was a bit confused.  

[FloridaGirl]

Hopefully I am replying correctly but you find out yr an alternate once everyone is screened in and your labs are reviewed. Also it depends on how many people show up for check in. My last study they needed 16 but ended up with 12 just because people's labs were off so that it why I say it is all your labs and if there are too many people then they take the best labs.
It could be that your drug screen was off, your blood pressure elevated, your EKG off.
So they can't tell you that your an alternate because they do not know.

[puntkicker]

Sept 27, 2016 11:28:23 GMT -5 FloridaGirl said:

Hopefully I am replying correctly but you find out yr an alternate once everyone is screened in and your labs are reviewed. Also it depends on how many people show up for check in. My last study they needed 16 but ended up with 12 just because people's labs were off so that it why I say it is all your labs and if there are too many people then they take the best labs.
It could be that your drug screen was off, your blood pressure elevated, your EKG off.
So they can't tell you that your an alternate because they do not know.

Yes, youre correct that Covance(at least the locations you and I have been) select by lab results and not by , which is different from a number of places.  I was told by an employee that they generally screen 4 times the amount of people needed, and in my case invited almost DOUBLE the people needed to check in.  That's not the greatest news for someone traveling a long distance.

I get them not telling you that you're an alternate before you arrive(in the case of Covance, they wouldnt even know), but from reading a number of posts in this thread, it seems to state otherwise for this member's clinic, and that's why I asked.  Please do not take my word for it, but check out what I'm talking about.    People were telling the guy to not not show up.  After re-reading it, the best guess Ive had is that the OP(original poster) posted this thread while actually inside the clinic, and all of those replying thought he was posting from home, before going.  That's the best sense I can make of it, but I wanted to confirm and see if anyone indeed ever did find out in advance.  Sometimes things happen out of the ordinary, so I'm trying to learn if this is one of them or if the OP unknowingly confused everyone.  

[FloridaGirl]

That is true , for Covance it goes by labs. I am screening tomorrow in Daytona on the last day but I took the earliest appointment so I hope I get in.
I will ask how many spots available and how many screening.

That is good to know how different clinics operate. And if there were only 8 spots for 50 people I would not have gone either unless I lived within a few hours of the clinic.
It seems like if they make u an appt. to screen they should give everyone a chance at getting into the study.
I guess it is trial and error learning how each clinic operates.

Thanks for your posts and trying to help everyone to shorten the learning curve. It does take time to figure out the ins and outs f being a clinics research participant.