Clinical trials or clinical research trials are a huge process by which pharmaceutical companies study the effects of a new drug or a new therapy in order to collect safety and efficacy data. Based on those data, the FDA or other government organizations in other countries will decide to approve the new drug /therapy or not. Because of its nature, clinical trials are extremely lengthy and costly, and the challenge to bring a new drug to the market is extremely big, even for the big and experienced pharmaceutical companies or biotech companies.

Recession have been defined by many economist, as a necessary part of our economy. Recessions allow us to redesign our economy, but especially to allow the “fittest” companies to survive, grow. Almost always immune to economic recessions and crisis, the healthcare industry is showing this time ¸signs of weakening and faces severe pressure. And with today’s recession going bad to worst, the worst is to come for the big pharma and biotech companies. Is the clinical trial industry globally ready to face it? What strategies will allow the clinical trial industry to survive the recession?

First, the industry will have (and have started) to reduce the workforce. Investors are more cautious with their investments and less likely to put money into risky drug development. Sponsors are cutting back on their budgets, less important studies will put aside, while the most important studies will see an abrupt cutback on how much money they receive. Therefore, the number of healthcare professionals needed for the industry will be reduced, leading to layoffs of healthcare professionals.

Second, many sponsors will move their work offshore, to other countries. Outsourcing to countries such as China, India, Eastern European countries is now often the key for many biotech and pharmaceutical companies to fight the effects of today’s economic recession. Hence, the value of work outsourced by countries such as the US to other countries can be up to over 40 per cent less.

Third, the clinical trial industry is getting computerized, to fight the effects of the economic turndown. The emergence of technologies has lead to an increase in the number of clinical trial software available. These clinical trial software allow for an increase efficiency in the management of clinical trial data and a reduced cost. Therefore, globally, the clinical trial industry will need to modernize the way of managing data in order to reduce the cost of processing and analyzing huge amounts of data.

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Finally, although economic recessions are difficult to live through, the clinical trials industry can survive the crisis if it wisely consider and adopt new working strategies to reduce the cost, but also to increase the efficiency of work and its workforce.

Finding money is becoming more and more challenging. However, some people hare using hidden resources to generate income.

Once mainly popular amongst students as an “easy and fast” way to make money, clinical trials are now becoming part of many everyday people’s lifestyle. Clinical research involves volunteers to testing new drugs. By doing so, they allow the gathering of data important to determine the safety and efficacy of the new drug, and its potential release on the market.

Some of the most reckless volunteers can bring up to $25,000 a year by participating in several clinical trials. After signing a consent form and passing the inclusion criteria, volunteers have to go to a clinical research center and undergo several tests such as checking vital signs, electrocardiograms, breathing tests, exercise tests, before and after receiving treatment. The treatment consist of a new investigational drug or can also be a placebo. Participants may have to give blood up to 5 times on a visit day at the clinical research center. Hence, volunteers who join many clinical trials may give blood up to 300-500 times throughout the year and may have tested about a dozen of new treatments or placebo.

The number of visits and hours allocated, as well as the pay per visit varies considerably between different trials and depend largely on the stage of the product development and the type of trial the volunteers are enrolled in. Therefore, participant may be paid between 50$ to 500$ for each session and each trial can last a few days to several months.  Each trial may include several consecutive visit days at the center and volunteers can also be asked to keep a diary between the visits, to assess any improvements or side effects due to the new medication. Volunteers are expected to be compliant to allow accuracy of the data, especially about safety and efficacy.  These data are particularly important to decide what are the next steps to be taken regarding the investigational drug, and if the product can safely be used on sick or younger patients.

This said, there is always safety concerns, especially at early stage of drug development, meaning side effects or drug reactions. However, possible side effects and the well-being of every subject are always a high priority for the pharmaceutical companies as well as for the investigators and staff conducting the trials. A participant may has the right to withdraw their consent at any given time, and this without any reasons.

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In conclusion, in these times of economic turndown, creative and new ways of generating money can be a big relief at the end of the month. Some people are now making their living of clinical trials and to those “lab rats”, in spite of the possible side effects, getting involved in trials is their new way to make sufficient income to pay the bills.