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Looking To Increase Income During Unemployment? Could Clinical Testing Be The Key?

2 August 2017 by Hugh Larson

If you've recently been laid off or downsized, you may be looking for ways to supplement your unemployment benefits before jumping headlong into another full-time position. If your industry doesn't offer many freelancing opportunities, you may be looking outside the box--including, in some cases, medical testing and clinical drug trials. Read on to learn more about how you may be able to generate a source of side income by participating in certain medical tests and trials during your unemployment. 

What Will You Need To Do?

Clinical trials can run the gamut from testing new cancer-fighting drugs to observing the effect of certain foods or beverages on behavior or mood. 

In general, to participate in a clinical trial, you'll need to be willing to fill out multiple forms (including some sensitive parts of your medical history), consume the drugs or other products being tested, and report your results. Some clinical trials will require you to keep a web diary or written daily diary; others will simply involve in-person interviews once or twice over the course of the study.

To get started, you'll first want to investigate the trials available at various hospitals and medical facilities in your area. In some cities, hospitals and research facilities will advertise these trials on their websites; in other areas, you may need to do a bit more digging. 

Often, once you fill out an application and complete a profile with a specific testing company you'll be able to (or invited to) participate in any qualifying studies being conducted. While you may be restricted from participating in more than one study at the same time, this can be a good way to provide you with a steady source of income. 

How Much Does Clinical Testing Pay?

Many of the highest-paying clinical trials are those that seek a very specific cross-section of people. If you have a relatively rare illness or condition or otherwise fit a unique profile, you're likely to qualify for many clinical trials that might be unavailable to the average person. 

On the other hand, clinical trials to test the weight loss effectiveness of a new diet drug or to assess the changes in mood that can come from eating chocolate aren't likely to boast the highest pay rates due to the demand for these types of trial and the number of potential applicants who tick off all relevant check boxes. 

This is another reason that signing up with one or more companies that performs clinical trials for a living can be beneficial; doing so can provide you with opportunities to pick and choose the trials in which you'd like to participate, passing over those that you may not deem worth your time. For more information, contact companies like Quintiles.

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