Volunteer's Voice
It's such a
simple thing to do
For Rose Weidner, the pain of
fibromyalgia comes and goes.
"For periods of time, I feel
fine," Weidner explains. "And
then when the pain comes, it
can be a raging flare-up."
The 54-year-old from Columbia, Md., has learned
to live with pain, as she has tried several different
treatment options with intermittent success. When
her doctor suggested she consider volunteering
for a clinical research study to test a new drug for
fibromyalgia, Weidner agreed. Because her sister is a
researcher, Weidner understands how such studies
are done, but she had never personally participated in
one before. She had her share of questions before she
made her final decision.
"I didn't seek out a research study, but when my doctor contacted me, I wanted to learn more," Weidner says. "The study was very well explained to me- the entire method and all the possible side effects. All my questions were answered, and I knew I was able to end my participation at any time if I wanted to." Weidner has experienced some relief from her pain since she started participating in her clinical research study in January. She had a few side effects initially that she describes as "annoying more than anything else," but says the benefits outweigh them. And she is committed to remaining in the one-year study. "It's really important to volunteer," Weidner says. "It's such a simple thing for me to do. It's not just for my benefit, but for the general benefit it can bring to others."
If you are interested in participating in a clinical research study, please click here to see our currently enrolling studies.