5 Reasons to Participate in a Clinical Trial with Linear
“Being on the trials was a bit like a holiday. It was time to just relax, lay in bed all day, eat good food, talk to people. And then you got paid, and helped with medical research all at the same time”.
For our regular participants, taking part in a Linear trial has become a part of their routine. They come in, contribute to Linear’s important research, and then get paid for their efforts. They know all the benefits of taking part in a trial because they have done so many before.
But for anyone who has never taken part before, they may see clinical trials as a leap into unknown territory. Many people don’t even know that participating in medical research is an opportunity they can take part in, and of those who do know, many are unaware of how great participating in a clinical trial with Linear can be.
After consulting many of our past and current participants, we have come up with the FIVE main reasons why you should take part in a clinical trial with Linear.
Let’s get stuck in…
#1 – You get to contribute to important medical research
You know all of the medication that you have access to today? The same medication that has allowed life expectancy in Australia to improve dramatically over the last 100 years? They all went through extensive medical trials, much like the ones we run here at Linear.
Clinical trials are a crucial part of the process of developing, licensing and bringing new life-changing, life-saving drugs and therapies to patients. Trials ensure that new treatments are both safe and effective, enabling medical practitioners and patients to use them with confidence, so that they can live a healthier life.
This highlights just how important medical research is, and why your contribution is so vital.
Imagine the feeling of doing your part to help put future generations in a better place than we are now. And in some cases, imagine being a part of the attempt to eradicate diseases in the here and now. (See more about our COVID-19 Vaccine Trial here).
It would feel pretty good wouldn’t it? It would surely provide some sense of accomplishment?
Well, that’s what the opportunity of contributing to medical research can provide! (At least that’s what our participants tell us).
We ask all of our participants who take part why they were so inclined to do so, and most responses start with how good they feel knowing they get to contribute to important research. Research that will benefit their community (and the world).
- Isaiah, 6 time Linear participant for example, noted in the video above that one of the main reasons he volunteered with us was because he has friends who live with conditions that our trials could potentially help develop treatments for.
Isaiah thought it was important to put his hand up and contribute to this research, so that he could potentially help his friends and others suffering from these conditions.
Medical research participants like Isaiah, help further the health and well-being of everyone here in Perth, in Australia, and across the world.
And although nurturing medical breakthroughs is the most important part of what you’re contributing to here at Linear, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other benefits that you can enjoy as a Linear participant as well.
Which leads us to benefit #2.
#2 – You can get paid thousands of dollars for participating
Not only do you get to leave the study feeling inspired from contributing to this important work, you also get paid for your efforts as well! Payments can range anywhere from $200 to $6000, and the amount depends on the length the study goes for.
- Elmarie used her payments to save up for a laptop for university and pay off her car (hear more from her above).
- Catherine used her payments to travel back to the UK and see her family.
Are you already sitting there thinking of ways you can use the remuneration if you were to apply for a Linear trial? We wouldn’t blame you if you were!
Whatever you decide to do with your remuneration is your own choice, but where else can you get paid like this for contributing to a great cause?
And in addition to that, where else can you get paid to relax, watch Netflix, and enjoy other recreational facilities?
Let’s hear more about that in benefit #3.
#3 – You get to relax, watch Netflix, and enjoy other recreational facilities while on study
Most of our studies do involve an in-house stay where you check in to our state-of-the-art clinical trials facility. When you’re not required for study related procedures, your time is your own.
You can relax in bed – using your time to read, connect to our wifi and watch Netflix. You can chill out in our recreation room with your fellow Linear participants, where you can watch movies, play video games or sharpen your board game skills. You can even use your time to catch up on work or university assignments.
- Lachlan explained in the video above how much he loved the fact that he could use the time to watch the Football World Cup and play poker.
- Catherine on the other hand, explained to us how she used her time in the clinic: “I want that R & R (rest and relaxation), and what better way to rest than to get paid for it at the same time”?
Regardless of what you decide to do with your time, who wouldn’t love a chance to put their feet up, contribute to important, impactful work, and get paid for doing so? Well, those are the first three benefits you’ll get to enjoy as a Linear trial participant.
Here’s the 4th.
#4 – You get to meet new, like minded people
Anyone (provided they meet eligibility criteria) can take part in a Linear trial, but not everyone will decide to do so. Those who do, get the chance to meet like minded people who want to use their spare time to contribute to important research and give back to their community.
- Elmarie said how good it was having that company while on trial, even if it was just for a short while.
- “The people that you spend time with at Linear, it’s like this rare friendship. They’re a type of family.” – Lachlan
We hear stories all the time as well, from past participants who have stayed in contact with people they met on trial. Many of them catch up at uni, catch up for drinks, and you could do the same if you decide to apply to take part.
Helping others, and using your time altruistically brings people together. As does good food, which is our next benefit to taking part in a Linear trial.
#5 – You get to enjoy well-catered, free food during your stay
- “I really did enjoy the meals that we had at Linear because I’m plant based, and they just did everything perfectly”. – Elmarie
We understand the stigma around hospital food. It’s uninspiring. It’s no good.
At Linear, we use an outside caterer for our meals, so you can have the confidence that you’re going to enjoy the food you’re given! We can also meet certain dietary requirements in most cases.
- “The food you get at Linear isn’t exactly your typical hospital food, it’s actually pretty good. It’s all outside catered, and they’re definitely available to make dietary requirements”. – Isaiah
The constant, positive feedback we receive for the food that is provided while on study is something we are proud of. And we are in no hurry to have this feedback changed!
Another thing we are proud of (and don’t want to change) is our approach to always exceed the expectations for our participants. Your experience will always be at the top of our priority list.
So, here’s us doing exactly that with providing an extra bonus benefit!
#6 – Bonus benefit: Linear trials are safe
- “It’s not some big scary organisation where they’re trying to force you to take anything, they do talk about it. And you can ask them any question you want and they’ll answer it”. – Lachlan
We understand that safety can be a concern for people who are interested in helping medical research so here is some information about the safety of our clinical trials.
- Every trial at Linear requires approval by an independent ethics committee – registered with the Australian Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
- Linear follows regulations and guidelines in accordance with international certification under Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and in accordance with TGA (Australia), FDA (USA), EMA (EU) and Medicines Australia guidelines.
- Every volunteer has to provide consent, go through medical questions specific to the trial, is assessed by a qualified doctor and goes through extensive medical examinations to make sure it is safe for them to participate.
- New drugs and therapies have to go through extensive years of testing before they are tested in clinical trials on humans.
- Participants can leave the study at any time without having to provide an explanation.
So there you have it!
5 reasons (plus a bonus reason) why contributing to medical research is worth doing, and why your participation is so beneficial.
Ready to get started? Apply for a Linear clinical trial today!
We hope to see you on a trial soon.
About Linear Clinical Research
Linear was founded in 2010 by The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research through Western Australian State Government funding. Linear is a not-for-profit organisation, employing 250+ full time staff of doctors, nurses, and clinical trial staff. Having been a regular winner of The National Export Awards, Linear has consistently featured in the media – including major TV stations. We are also a research partner of iconic institutions such as Telethon Kids Institute and Lion’s Eye Institute.