Temporarily Restricted From Doing Screenings?

[southpaw]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone else has been temporarily restricted from doing screenings at a particular clinical trial location because they didn't qualify for several studies for the same reason? If so, what is the process? I was told I would receive a letter in the mail sometime in the next month and as of now I am unable to schedule any screenings. I am really upset because I really like doing studies at this particular place. I have qualified for 4 studies in the past and have just been having trouble qualifying for the ECG part but my QTC number has been dropping significantly over the past several weeks by increasing my potassium intake and I am now within a hair of qualifying again. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.

[vark]

wait, are you saying i can get my qtc down by eating a lot of bananas? i've been trying for years to find out how to do that.

meanwhile, clinics can and do restrict people from screening for arbitrary reasons. which is ok when it's for an actual medical reason.

[southpaw]

Sorry for the late response! Thanks for your reply. Yes, upon doing lots of research I found that it's been proven that there is a direct correlation between potassium intake and your QTC. Bananas aren't the only food with potassium. Potatoes actually have more than twice the amount of potassium as bananas.

[fl2014ta]

fwiw I got disq'd from a testing place in Baltimore by the doctor (one of them) who handles trials there. The other doc seems cool and was one who did the intake questionnaire on medical history (which I have none, really). Now when I call there I have to ask if female Doctor A is doing it; or if male Doctor B is doing it and if the answer is A then I pass. The first doc said I was disqualified from any participation. This is a total slam because for one, when I discussed my smoking history it was for a trial that said light smokers were ok for it. But during my telephone screen I said to the screener several months before even in-person screenings were happening, that I used to smoke a lot more than now and that got in my records. Plus the last one I screened for which caused my ban required a chest ay .... now one would think if soing THAT serious came up on it, first of all, someone would email me; and second, I've had other tests (extensive) with no remarkable conditions. The second doc at Balt clinic wanted to know med history in depth to the point where he wanted to know about scars (from being a clumsy kid and needing stitches) or if I had eyelashes come out and scratch my eye, I guess ; p They probably figure if to keep your ECG in normal range requires supplementation that may be an indicator/precursor that they don't want to stand liability to deal with. The standard medical mumbo will elaborate that "A lengthened QT interval is a marker for the potential of ventricular tachyarrhythmias like torsades de pointes and a risk factor for sudden death." which is ridiculous because it IS all a matter of taking the right nutrients and supplements in the first place to keep the cogs running smoothly yet doctors treat heart patients for years with a crapton of prescriptions and don't address basic nutritional needs like limiting nitrites that can cause aortic aneurysms and statins that literally dry out your brain. And don't even get me on the topic of vegetable oil and its creation : x Also I notice lots of screenings ask what supplements are taken within X days .... I mean really, it's an alphabet of vitamins, not steroids or doping!! sheesh So I tell them I take those little fizzy packets of vitamin c in my water bottle (Emergen-C) once in a while. It's all such a farce really ...

[southpaw]

Thanks for the lengthy response! I really appreciate it. That blows that you have to deal with that ****. It sucks to have to go through red tape over some ticky tack b.s. I am still awaiting a letter in the mail that is supposed to explain everything and tell me what my rights are. It will be interesting to see if I am restricted for a certain amount of time or if it's permanent.

[veteran2]

Oct 29, 2015 11:30:39 GMT -5 southpaw said:

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone else has been temporarily restricted from doing screenings at a particular clinical trial location because they didn't qualify for several studies for the same reason? If so, what is the process? I was told I would receive a letter in the mail sometime in the next month and as of now I am unable to schedule any screenings. I am really upset because I really like doing studies at this particular place. I have qualified for 4 studies in the past and have just been having trouble qualifying for the ECG part but my QTC number has been dropping significantly over the past several weeks by increasing my potassium intake and I am now within a hair of qualifying again. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.

Yes if you double dip or even do a "legal" quick turn around for another study your red blood cell count can be low and many places won't let you take a physical without a doctors note to cover their ***.  They are all worried about being sued for millions if anything goes wrong(god forbid).