Trial 1, Trial 2, What Will These Pills Do To You?

The forum this week asked me the reasons why I (as a patient) would enter a randomized trial. My first reason is: if I am sick and have the chance to get rid of that illness for myself and for others, I would not even have to think about it. Though people may worry about the risks involved, one takes that risk when they get any medication from the doctors. Don't doctors say "We are going to try this out on you to see if this will work?" That to me is like a little trial in itself. Every person's body is different and that means that their body reacts in different ways to certain medications. If one fears a risk, then they should do the proper amount of research to diminish those worries. According to one of the articles I read, these studies are "monitored by an institutional review board (IRB). An IRB is made up of physicians, researchers, and members of the community. IRB’s role is to make sure that the study is ethical and the rights of welfare of participants are protected"(Learn About Clinical Studies, 2012). I feel that if the professionals do these processes in an ethical manner, then there is no point in worrying about extreme risks. When it comes to something like this, one must research the study and it's not just something everyone can do, so people don't have to worry about people just selling themselves to medical research. According to the same article as I read before, it states that the allowance to do this is based on "age, gender, the type and stage of disease, previous treatment history, and other medical conditions"(Learn About Clinical Studies, 2012). This shows that the researchers look very close to the physical being of the "test subject". That is a good thing because they can base their research on how a certain gender reacts to something or someone with a certain stage of disease can react to the medication given. It sounds to me that these people who are getting tested will be taken care of and researchers will not place someone with a certain condition onto something that could cause them harm.

Another point brought up in the forum was whether or not I would go through with this even if I had the chance to be given "sugar pills". I still would not have a problem with that, because the researchers could see what symptoms are real and what symptoms are made up. To me it would interesting to see how my body reacts to something that may not even be the actual medication. Another reason that I would go along with these studies is the affordability of my medication. In one of the articles I read it said “Patients who have trouble affording the drugs or treatment, they may need to consider enrolling in a clinical trial in order to access the protocols that may help them” (Torrey, 2008). That to me is a huge benefit. If I have an illness and can’t afford the medication (especially in today’s economy) this sounds like a great way to help myself and to help others. There are so many ways as to why this beneficial: it helps others, it expands scientific and medical research, it can make medication less expensive, you can get paid, and the research is ethical. In the end, going through with these trials would be a very smart idea.


Resources

Unknown. Learn About Clinical Studies. (2012, August). Retrieved September 25, 2012, from clinicaltrials.gov: [Only admins are allowed to see this link]

Torrey, T. (2008, August 13). The Risks and Benefits of Clinical Trials. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from About.com Patient Empowerment: [Only admins are allowed to see this link]

Yes Clairice i agree. You as a patient should be able to want to help advance science and help your condition in the process. Because the tests are monitored by professionals you need not worry that your safety is in question. And yes medical trials are a cost effective way to try and treat your self while on a budget

Clairice, you made some really good points but I have to disagree. If you do agree to the drug trials you never if you are actually going to get better or get the new drug or not. There are many bad risks to think of. This was another post I was on the fence about. I agree with you but then again I don’t agree with you. You made some really good points that kind of made me change my mind.

Clarice, as Katie said you made some valid points on why you are for it but like Katie I’m against it. If you do agree to the trials like Katie’s points she made on your post you never know if you will receive the placebo or not. So this is going to be a risk to take if you are for it Clarice, because the side effects may harm you more than the disease itself if you do get the drug. I agree with you Clarice on how you think that if you are sick why wouldn't you want to try to get free treatment, but usually they just test to see if the drug will help a human somewhat get over it. It is super risky; I don’t agree with you that there is so much the same as a risk if you used something the doctor prescribed for you. Your doctor knows everything about you, and knows what your body will except and not except. Also what things will harm your body.
Center watch. (2011). Retrieved from [Only admins are allowed to see this link]

Nick, though I do understand your points, I don't agree. You mention in your post about the chances of getting a placebo or not, however in my post I stated how that does not faze me. I feel that not knowing exactly what I am getting, will help. I am the kind of person who will over think things and gets sick over it, so I rather not know every single detail. Also to me it would be the only way to go about with these trials. In giving out "sugar pills" the researchers can decide exactly what’s mind over matter. It would show to them what the actual side effects are and as to what that person is making up. I do see what you mean about your disagreement about my doctor point, but I do not agree. Doctor's don't know everything about you because patients may not be providing them with the complete truth. Also when a doctor gives you a medicine for the first time, they never know how you will react. Sure you can tell them whether or not you are allergic to things, but that does not mean they or you know exactly how you will react to this medicine. With the research of these drugs, I know will then know what side effects I can look for to show if it is normal, but that does not mean that my body will react the same way as your body might. I feel that this research is a great thing for people and enables more medicine to come out and cure the diseases that are in this world. Though it may be risky, a lot of things are risky. People go to war for the well being of the country and that is risky. Drug-trials -though not as intense or as heroic as war- are taking a risk to benefit people, and that's a great opportunity.