Are paid clinical trials legitimate?
Posted by harlequin_rose@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 20 comments
I became unemployed at the beginning of the year and have been unable to find a job. I'm freelancing, but it brings in a pittance, so to build some savings and pay off my credit card debt I'm looking into paid clinical trials, as they seem to pay a decent sum.
I've found a couple of possibilities, including FluCamp and Trials4Us Richmond, based on London which I can travel to, but I'm a single female and wary of scams or anything that looks too good to be true. Has anyone participated in a paid medical trial and can speak to a positive (or at least well-paid) and safe experience? All advice appreciated. Thank you!
bruce8708@reddit
Yes, they're definitely legitimate. Most Phase 1 trials are compensated actually, though compensation can range quite a lot. If you live in an area with a lot of trial sites (or get involved with online-only trials), there might even be several happening at the same time that you might qualify for.
Verbina-photos@reddit
I'm also a female and got made redundant today.. Then an advert popped up on Facebook for clinical trials and I registered my interest! Oh well, how wrong can it go lol..
I do remember those "elephant men" headlines from Northwick Park trial, but I'm sure the regulations are even more stringent nowadays.
iluvrabbit@reddit
Anyone from india how to be a part and gow much will i get
Lazy_Bet_2722@reddit
Im on it Looking for trials , who paid well . I applied on some sites . When i get any responses i will let you know !!
Owlstorm@reddit
They're a legit thing but not necessarily safe.
rybnickifull@reddit
They're very safe. For some reason the companies find they have fewer volunteers if they kill the candidates, so it's safer than a lot of activities people do regularly.
sunheadeddeity@reddit
I did them as a broke student. Got lucky with one that required 2x10 day stays in a clinical unit, and paid very well. For others, the time commitment may or may not be worth it. But it costs nothing to sign up and find out.
harlequin_rose@reddit (OP)
Do you remember which company that was with, so that I can look them up? Thank you.
sunheadeddeity@reddit
Oh it was 30 years ago, I'm sorry.
harlequin_rose@reddit (OP)
Fair enough! Thank you!
Ok_Air_9048@reddit
My dad has participated in a few clinical trials. He has some medical issues, so they tend to use him in later stage studies as a volunteer. They cover his travel expenses, but the main reason he does them is the thorough monitoring they provide. For example, they detected a liver issue early on that he was able to get treated something that might not have been discovered until much later. I think the company he works with is called Synexus.
MaryPanel@reddit
I did a clinical trial for RSV over a year ago and got paid pretty handsomely for it. They were really stringent on testing. I had a 12 days stay in a medial facility and was checked constantly (blood, hr, blood pressure, etc).
goingnowherespecial@reddit
I'm signed up to the trials that GSK do. I regularly receive emails on the trials they're running and they do pay fairly well. I've not done one because most require several night stays, including pre and post clinic visits. For an average study I'd be having to use over 2 weeks of annual leave.
Maleficent-Win-6520@reddit
They are legit. But remember only a few years back some people died in the uk taking part in drug trials.
scrotalsac69@reddit
That's one was a huge breach of governance. It should never have happened and due to regulatory changes should never happen again. They made a catastrophic error with the doses, to a level that the patients got many times the established safe dose. It was a company called Tegenero who sponsored the trial.
vientianna@reddit
It was 20 years ago
No one died
Clinical trials have fundamentally changed in the way they are monitored and regulated as a result
Maleficent-Win-6520@reddit
Fair enough. I thought there were some deaths.
vientianna@reddit
Clinical trials are not scams, in 2025 they are extremely tightly regulated.
There are risks involved, as there are with any medication you take, even after approval is granted. For healthy volunteer trials the risks tend to be far less than those in patient groups for obvious reasons.
IngenuityBrave5273@reddit
By the time a drug has made it to human trials, it's been determined that it is likely safe. You will also be required to give informed consent, so they should tell you what risks there are.
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