40 replies to this topic

[Archon]

Focus: poison chalice
Lois Rogers, Richard Woods and Brian Deer investigate how a drug trial left six men battling for life

The sales pitch could have been written by a time-share spiv. “You’ll be paid for your time,” it reads. “Free food . . . digital TV, pool table, video games, DVD player and now FREE internet access!” An invitation to one long holiday? No, this is how Parexel, the company at the heart of a medical disaster, recruits human guinea pigs to test new drugs and brave the frontiers of modern science.

One of those lured by the prospect of £2,000 for lazing in a private clinic was David O’Donnell, a 19-year-old student. He told a friend who leapt at the opportunity.

Early last week O’Donnell arrived at the Parexel clinic attached to Northwick Park hospital, north London, to be screened for trials of a drug known as TGN1412. A first trial was just starting and his friend was taking part. O’Donnell was due to prepare for the next round.

To his surprise, researchers said the study had been cancelled and asked him to join another project. They did not reveal that down the corridor, six volunteers in the first trial were, as one witness said, “exploding”. Minutes after being given the drug they had suffered catastrophic reactions, screaming and begging for help. It was like “a living hell”, said a witness.

Source

Its pretty amazing how dumb some people can be.

[Mr. Hobo]

Wow, that's extreme. The people who have been tested on should sue the scientists for withholding that information and the scientists should recieve jailtime for cruelty to mankind.

[Sweeney]

Wow, that's extreme. The people who have been tested on should sue the scientists for withholding that information and the scientists should recieve jailtime for cruelty to mankind.

Possibly the stupidest thing I ever heard. Sue the scientists? Obviously there was no clue as to the possible reaction or trials would never have taken place on humans. Jailtime? For a misfired experiment? That's somewhat like sending a doctor to prison when you have an allergic reaction to pencillin.

It's unfortunate, but obviously unavoidable.

[Mr. Hobo]

To his surprise, researchers said the study had been cancelled and asked him to join another project. They did not reveal that down the corridor, six volunteers in the first trial were, as one witness said, “exploding”.

There's a difference between 1 or 2 people having an allergic reaction and a room full of people in agony.

Edited by Toxic Hobo, 20 March 2006 - 01:40 PM.

[Punk]

I think you missed the point there Joe. He was saying that the scientists DIDN'T tell the tester that that was going on down the hall, because they needed testers.

Damn, I was late

Edited by Punk, 20 March 2006 - 01:39 PM.

[amyjia]

OMG. This is horrible.. I wish there was a way that things cold be tested without hurting any living thing.. but they haven't found a way yet

[Flame]

The scientists did do everything they could to make it work, and for some reason they still did it. The people who signed were made aware of the risks, so legally, no matter how bad it is, it's their own fault

[Sweeney]

I think you missed the point there Joe. He was saying that the scientists DIDN'T tell the tester that that was going on down the hall, because they needed testers.

Damn, I was late

No, I got that.
The scientists can't disclose the results of other studies, until they are made official. And besides, there's no need to inform testers of the results of totally unrelated tests.

[Tetiel]

That's... so... horrible. Scientists really shouldn't try to test this sort of thing. Oh those poor men...

I do wonder though... if something DID happen and the wrong dosage was administered...

[Sean]

That's... so... horrible. Scientists really shouldn't try to test this sort of thing. Oh those poor men...

I do wonder though... if something DID happen and the wrong dosage was administered...

QFE :blink:

[hoju]

This reminds me of resident evil
Kind of...

[Archon]

Wasn't the T-virus just a random breakout? (I'm suprised I still remember details about RE. )

[BlackHawk]

(...) This is what makes me despise the animal protesters who are against testing on animals in the name of medicine.

I also don't like these punks, but this time the drug *was* actually tested on monkeys, and they showed no adverse reactions at 500 times the dose administered to humans!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TGN1412

[Christopher Robin]

well... i assume they died? bah... test on animals, CENSOREDing gay PETA fags.

[Archon]

well... i assume they died? bah... test on animals, CENSOREDing gay PETA fags.

Nope, just horribly injured.

[Tetiel]

well... i assume they died? bah... test on animals, CENSOREDing gay PETA fags.

Hun, they did test on animals... even primates and nothing like what happened to the humans happened to the animals.

[Christopher Robin]

bah... i see... god damn, i missed my 1337 post!


that sounds painful... exploding.... ouch.

[pyke]

To suz;

Personally I wouldn't have volunteers or animals used for tests, I'd just use people on death row.

[Silk]

This was in the Evening Standard (London paper) a few days ago. They volunteered to it, the prospect of £2300 obviously appealed more to them than the safebeing of themselves.
However one guys descriptions of the testing was horrible, they had to get big black binbags because people were vomitting so much.

[Noitidart]

Oh yes I heard about this!!

I was saying to Mum: This is what makes me despise the animal protesters who are against testing on animals in the name of medicine.

This is the outcome. And it shouldn't be this way.

Grrr yea me starting to feel not so good about those peeps

[BlackHawk]

I like animals, but if it's medicine, I'd sooner use it on an animal than on human beings, even if they are on death row.

I don't give a damn what people on death row have done. If we lower ourselves to the standard in which we are practicing medine on these people, we are one sorry society. Let them be executed in the right way.

I don't want to mean anything in particular, but this is actually the most ethical way of doing any testing on *humans*. And some things just can't be tested on animals and the results extrapolated to humans, because of obvious differences (example: ability of survival in very cold water, or the effects of a drug on the brain, etc.)