Basics:
WCCT Global/Altasciences is one of a number of medical research firms that recruits and pays individuals to take part in drug trials and other medical research
Expected pay: varies widely
Husl$core: $$$
Commissions & fees: NA
Where: Southern California
Requirements: Vary by study
WCCT Global/Altasciences Review:
WCCT Global, which has been purchased by Altasciences, is one of a number of companies that recruit individuals to take part in medical research studies. The studies can be looking for cures for specific diseases, testing vaccines, or researching the effectiveness of cosmetic creams and treatments. In 2021, the company was acquired by Altasciences. However, the location, staff and system remain the same.
Requirements
Each study offered by WCCT Global/Atasciences has different requirements and payment formulas. In some cases, you have to be suffering with a condition ranging from diabetes to psoriasis, to qualify for a trial.
In other instances, they’re specifically looking for healthy adults — or children — within a set age group.
Pay varies
The payments vary based on the study and the amount of time and effort involved. One recent study on Coronavirus vaccines, for instance, promises a $5,100 payment for going to 1 screening visit, 11 outpatient visits, plus participating in 4 follow-up phone calls. All together, this is likely to require less than two weeks of work time — including the time it takes to get to WCCT Global’s South Los Angeles offices. That works out to an hourly pay of nearly $65 per hour.
Another study, which seeks healthy 18-55 year-olds, promises payment of $7,600. The catch? You’ve got to stay in the company’s facility for nearly two weeks. The facility is hospital-like, with dorm-style rooms. The company provides meals and basic entertainment — cable television and wifi. But you would be sequestered away from your friends and family for the duration.
What are you doing for that high hourly wage? Among other things, you are submitting to multiple blood tests, heart monitors, swabs and other medical procedures to check the medication’s impact. However, most of the time, you’re sitting around, watching t.v., reading or pursuing whatever interests you can do while remaining in a hospital-like setting.
Health vs wealth
However, the big risk here is with your health. When companies test drugs they’re looking for side effects and adverse reactions.
That said, by the time these drugs they get to human trials, they already know whether the drug has produced side effects in animals and in a laboratory setting. So, you should know what the potential side effects might be. Still, you’re taking a chance that your test might result in pain and/or illness. While deaths are rare, a few have happened during clinical trials. So, there’s a lot at stake.
When you’re sick
If you are involved in drug trials for a disease that you have, this may be a risk you’re willing to take to find a cure. If you are not personally invested in the cure, however, you should carefully weigh the risk of each study before agreeing to take part.
This site’s average Husl$core reflects the above-average pay, weighed against the above-average risk.
Recommended reading
If you’re interested in clinical trials, here are a few pieces worth reading to understand the risks and rewards:
National Institute of Health on clinical trial benefits and safety
Are clinical trials worth the risk?–Science37.com
Deciding whether to be part of a clinical trial — Cancer.org
Medical student talks about her own experience volunteering for clinical trials
Updated 2/26/2023
Leave a Reply