University students searching for a temporary way to earn extra money might qualify to serve as research patients at Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
According to Pennington clinic coordinator Liz Tucker, the research center currently is working on 27 separate studies in which all patients are paid for their participation.
Currently, studies are being done on Olestra, various weight-loss methods and a form of insulin diabetics can inhale.
“The pay varies with the length of the study and what it entails,” Tucker said. “Some studies are very time-consuming, and class schedules inhibit many from participating.”
She said although an 11-week-long food intake study being done for Pfizer pays patients $3,000, there are three 16-day periods during which the patient is required to spend most of their time at the clinic.
Although other studies may require only several visits, they do not pay as much.
Tucker said Pennington does not want money to be the sole thought on the mind of a prospective patient.
“We don’t want money to overshadow what is required of the patient, like the actual testing, the time involved and the invasiveness of the whole thing,” she said. “We also don’t want to offer an amount that may be seen by a federal agency as being coercive.”
Tucker also said despite the intensity of some of the studies, many people form a bond with the friendly staff and return to the clinic to participate in more studies.
She said some even enjoy the research aspect of studies.
Patients can expect to be subjected to a multitude of various tests while serving as research subjects, some of which involve needles and the extraction of bodily fluids and tissue.
The types of tests administered on a patient depend on the type of study.
Studies at the clinic may be funded by grants from a government agency or a private business that wants to find the safety and efficacy of a product.
Although activities for a patient staying at the clinic are limited, Tucker said they can bring cell phones, books, cards and games.
Alan Pesch, a research associate at Pennington, said the research studies at Pennington mainly focus on diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure.
“The research involves obesity and the diseases associated with obesity,” Pesch said.
People searching for treatment for a disease should not volunteer for a study.
The tests at Pennington always require there to be a control group, so some people in a study will not get the treatment aspect of the tests.
The Institutional Review Board, an independent body consisting of physicians, scientists and other non-professionals, approves every study conducted at Pennington.
“We never jeopardize anyone’s health,” Tucker said. “We explain the details of the tests beforehand and let the person make the decision.”
A research patient is free to quit a study at any time, but if they do Pennington loses information and money spent on the patient.
Studies at Pennington are completely confidential and adhere to personal privacy laws.