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, “explodingâ€. Minutes after being given the drug they had suffered catastrophic reactions, screaming and begging for help. It was like “a living hellâ€, said a witness.
Source
Its pretty amazing how dumb some people can be.