Jennifer - Interview 14

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Jennifer and her husband were both invited to take part in the UK Biobank study, a study which aims to collect samples of blood and urine, measurements such as height, weight and blood pressure, and lifestyle details such as exercise, diet, smoking and alcohol from half a million people nationally. By linking this information with future health records scientists hope to make progress in understanding causes and risk factors for many types of disease. Both Jennifer and her husband readily agreed to take part, as they felt it was a good way to contribute to greater medical knowledge. They found it very straightforward to take part, and very efficient (though perhaps so quick that it would have been difficult to ask lots of questions). The only concern was that Jennifer was told her body mass index (BMI) and her blood pressure were on the high side. She didn’t agree with the suggestion that her BMI was high, as she is slim and sporty, and when she came home and did the calculations herself she seemed to be well in the middle of the normal range. With her blood pressure, she went to her GP, and he too found it a bit high, but when she came back a week later and had it checked again by the practice nurse it was fine.
Jennifer got an invitation for the UK Biobank through the post. She wonders if the fact that...

Jennifer got an invitation for the UK Biobank through the post. She wonders if the fact that...
Jennifer felt she would be holding everyone up if she asked questions.

Jennifer felt she would be holding everyone up if she asked questions.
Jennifer explains that the UK Biobank aimed to collect health data on a large number of the...

Jennifer explains that the UK Biobank aimed to collect health data on a large number of the...
Jennifer compared donating blood to taking an office collection for a gift rather than giving a...

Jennifer compared donating blood to taking an office collection for a gift rather than giving a...
Because drug trials are tightly controlled, Jennifer says she would take part in one. She thinks...

Because drug trials are tightly controlled, Jennifer says she would take part in one. She thinks...
Oh yes. Yes, that’s different.
How would you feel if you were asked? I mean, say you get to a point where you might need medication for high blood pressure, would you be willing to take part in a clinical trial of medication?
Yeah, I probably would, actually, yes. But, what happened at Northwick Park* is, well, it’s very rare, isn’t it? And I know things are controlled pretty closely generally, so yes, I probably would.
Yes, Northwick Park was the first time that drug had been tried on human beings.
Yes, yes. And of course they were just healthy volunteers, weren’t they? They weren’t even people who needed whatever - I don’t even know what it was for.
No, which is not the situation that those people would find themselves in when they’re asked. And would you have any worries about a placebo-controlled trial, where you don’t know if you’re getting the drug or not?
I suppose it would depend how serious the condition was. [laughter] You know, say it was for cancer, and the new drug might be potentially life-saving, I’m not sure I’d want to run the risk of having the placebo. But I suppose at the other end of the spectrum if it was for something fairly minor, yes, it wouldn’t bother me.
*FOOTNOTE: Jennifer is referring to a Phase 1 trial at a commercial research unit based at Northwick Park Hospital in 2006 when several healthy volunteers became extremely ill. Early phase studies are carried out precisely because we need to find out about possible risks and side effects before giving the treatment more widely.
Taking part in biobanking was a straightforward and efficient experience for Jennifer.

Taking part in biobanking was a straightforward and efficient experience for Jennifer.
Jennifer took part in a stroke study as a healthy volunteer after her husband had a minor stroke.

Jennifer took part in a stroke study as a healthy volunteer after her husband had a minor stroke.
The tests during the research showed Jennifer had high blood pressure and a high body mass index...

The tests during the research showed Jennifer had high blood pressure and a high body mass index...
Jennifer wanted people to know that it is easy to take part in biobanking.
