I have worked in clinical research for too many years to publicly admit. I enjoy what I do and am excited to know that my work is important and contributes to improving health. I have to admit though that sometimes the naysayers get to me – these are the people who decry that Big Pharma is: 1) inventing diseases to sell drugs, 2) artificially inflating prices, 3) withholding “bad” data, etc. The list goes on. And of course, like any industry, there is room for improvement in the pharmaceutical industry. But MOST people who work in clinical research are just like me – dedicated, passionate advocates for better health outcomes.
This fall I spent a lot of time at Good Sam Hospital with a family member. That first day, I spent almost eight hours hanging out in the waiting room by myself surrounded by other patients’ small family/friend groups. All of us were waiting for The Phone Call that would tell us that our person was in the recovery room, surgery went well, etc. At one point late into this dreary day I went to use a restroom and paid no attention to the woman at the sink area as I ducked into a stall. I soon became aware that the woman at the sink was crying – not sniffle, sniffle, but really crying. Her tears really rattled me and did so even after I received The Phone Call that my person was in the recovery room and all had gone well. Stupid medicine! Why can’t everyone be cured?
A few days later I was making the now familiar trek through the hospital parking lot as I went to visit my family member. I was vaguely aware of two people who were clearly acquaintances, walking toward each other. They spoke to each other quickly in urgent, low voices and then one of them shrieked joyously “no way!” as they threw their arms about each other and did a sort of jumping hug.
That was my “aha” moment. This is why I like doing what I’m doing. I’m working to bring about options that allow for fewer tears and more jump hugs.
Our current list of clinical studies includes studies for those with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, uncontrolled asthma, plaque-type psoriasis and hypertriglyceridemia. For more information, contact the Clinical Research Center at 541-766-2163 or send an email to research@corvallisclinic.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/corvallisclinicresearch.
– Julie Carrico is Associate Coordinator of The Corvallis Clinic Clinical Research Center
