I first found out about Quotient Sciences by accidentally clicking on an advert on social media. I was about to close the window that popped up, but had a quick read through first, and the idea of clinical trials intrigued me as my nephew had mentioned only a few days before that he’d considered participating in a trial himself while at university. The idea of actually playing a small part in the release of a new treatment rather than just hearing about it somewhere afterwards really appealed to me, and the generous allowance for taking part made it financially viable too. So, before I knew it, I’d signed up for a trial for a new treatment for malaria.
I’d never taken part in a trial anywhere previously, so it was a completely new experience for me. It involved one 4-night stay at the unit, with a screening visit beforehand and then nine return visits afterwards of an hour or so each, spread over two months. I received clear and comprehensive info about the trial prior to the screening, which gave me confidence that I’d made the right decision to sign up.
The other volunteers on the trial were great, we got along brilliantly and had a real laugh together, took part in a couple of quizzes, played pool, table tennis etc. Plus the food was lovely. I’m convinced some of them didn’t want to leave by the end of it – well I didn’t anyway! That tells you how fantastic the staff were as well – professional but friendly and always happy to help. Everything was explained thoroughly; no corners were cut, and we knew exactly what procedures would happen and when.
I can’t wait to sign up for another trial when possible, and in the meantime I might invest some of the money in pool and table tennis lessons to make the next one even better.