[Linda1]

The eye clinic I go to called and said they felt I would be a good candidate for a clinical trial they are doing. It is to study and assess the physical and clinical performance of prototype punctal plug design iterations. Basically they would put plugs in the small opening at the inner corner of my upper and lower eyelids. They study is for 3 months and I would get paid. I have a 10 page consent form to read. I can drop out at any time. I have no idea why they think I'm a good candidate, but that will be my first question to them. My husband just gave me one of those looks like why would you even think of doing it.

 

[Paddysmom]

That's a tough call. I think if I were approached to participate in a trial I would only do so if I were facing a terminal illness where all conventional methods may be failing OR if I knew the trial would have no detrimental effects upon my condition. No effect would be one thing, but detrimental is another case entirely.

I guess it's a bit different with drug trials... you would never know if you were receiving the experimental drug or a placebo. With drug trials, a patient's condition MUST be at least minimally maintained by their current treatment while the trial is conducted. The patient cannot just be yanked off conventional treatment in favor of the experimental one.

Can you tell us a little more about your eye condition? I'm really curious!

 

[georgie]

That is a tough call. If it is for a product & it would not cause any ill effects...maybe. But like Nancy said, drug trials are a different thing.

My good friend got into a trial for breast cancer medication years ago. She did it because the physician was a leading man in the field of breast cancer. But you either got Tamoxifin or a placebo for 5 years. You don't know which you are getting. My friend had a lumpectomy then got into the trial. About 6 years later she developed another lump in the same breast. Because that happened to her she was able to find out what she received. Unfortunately she received a placebo. Now she wonders if she had gotten the Tamoxifin would it have come back. She had a mastectomy & is fine over 10 years now. So it is a tough call.

Good luck.

 

[imported_nellies mom]

I would be very careful. The only study I was ever in was for my OB/GYN who ran it and I trusted him. There was a nominal $50 check at the end.

 

[brody]

if you trust your doctor - and think there might be long term benefit to people and the risks are bearable to you I'd seriously consider doing it

 

[Linda1]

From what I was told on the phone and from reading the papers I was given, no drugs are involved. They have FDA approved plugs on the market now to treat dry eye. But, these plugs have a 40% chance of falling out. The study they want me to be in would test a different design to see how well they stay in place. They also would collect my tears for testing. They will pay for all the eye examines and $400-$500 if I stay in the study for the 3 months. It would involve 8 appointments. What I don't understand is why me? I don't have dry eye and they wanted to make sure that since my last appointment I haven't started to use any kind of liquid tears. My husband thinks is because I don't have any problem with people putting their fingers on my eye! He can't have anyone get near his. A very well know eye surgeon from our area will be doing the testing.
Here is a video of a plug being inserted.
http://www.edinburgh-eyetests.co.uk/colagen.asf

 

[imported_lindapepsi]

When my mother inlaw was in the hospital I met a man that did a medical research thing for eyes. He ended up blind and because he signed the consent form nothing they could do about it. Please think this over really well first.

 

[Trickster]

I wouldn't. Heard too many horror stories.

 

[brody]

if there is no benefit to you and you don't need the money I'd pass

I presumed there would be a very concrete benefit to you (to some $400 would be worth 8 visits - to me it simply wouldn't be)

what happens after the study - does the plug get removed easily and everything back to normal? :suspious:

 

[Paddysmom]

They also would collect my tears for testing. They will pay for all the eye examines and $400-$500 if I stay in the study for the 3 months. It would involve 8 appointments. What I don't understand is why me? I don't have dry eye and they wanted to make sure that since my last appointment I haven't started to use any kind of liquid tears.

I'm more curious than ever now. You have an eye condition but tears that are miraculous? I'm not making fun, Linda, but, unless you can tell us more about your eye situation I am at a loss.

 

[MSUlady]

They probably want to use you as a normal control.

Read over the consent forms really well. They have to list EVERY possible complications on those, no matter how slim the possibility, so if any of them seem too severe for you, I'd pass.

 

[patm]

I participated in a drug study for menstural cramps back in colloge when NASAIDS were just being developed. My gynocologist asked me if I wanted to be in it. At that time, I would have given ANYTHING to get rid of menstural cramps. It was a double blind study, so even the MD didn't know what I was taking each month. It involved the drug being tested, Darvon and a placebo. It took 6 months and I think I got 50 dollars too. In the end, it turned on that the person in charge of the study was a Darvon addict and took alot of the Darvon and replaced more placebos - so the test wasn't valid. But it led me to NSAIDS, which practically saved my life :happy: