Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.
Sarah volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a drug intended to help women at risk of osteoporosis. It involved daily injections and eventually she dropped out of the trial. (You can see Sarah talking more about her experiences on the healthtalkonline site osteoporosis, Interview 27).
Sarah is a retired hospital ward clerk. She is married, with 2 grown-up children. Ethnic background/nationality: White Welsh/English.
Sergio has taken part in several trials, including a placebo-controlled trial of diabetes medication, and a trial of talking therapy for depression. He likes to volunteer to support medical research.
Sergio is a retired hospital porter. He is divorced. Ethnic background/nationality: White Hispanic.
Tony took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction following a prostate operation. He was in the placebo arm but was given Viagra after the trial ended. (Husband of Pam, Interview 21).
Tony is a retired chartered accountant and tax adviser. He is married with 3 grown-up children and 2 step-children. Ethnic background/nationality: White British Jewish.
David volunteered for a placebo-controlled trial of a new treatment derived from mouse DNA to improve asthma symptoms. He later discovered he was in the group taking a lower dose of the treatment, but he would not have minded being in the placebo group.
David is a full-time student. He is single.
Julian has prostate cancer. He is in a Phase 1 trial of a drug (a PARP inhibitor) which may stop cancer cells regrowing in people like him who have the BRCA2 genetic mutation. This mutation increases the risk of prostate and other cancers.
Julian is a research scientist and author, married, with 3 adult children. Ethnic background/nationality: White English Jewish.
Sir Richard Doll was one of the doctors who first demonstrated the link between lung cancer and smoking. He was Warden of Green College, Oxford. He was interviewed shortly before his death, in 2005.
Sir Richard Doll was an eminent public health doctor and a pioneer of clinical trials.
Iain is a keen advocate for well-designed randomised controlled trials to test treatments.
Sir Iain Chalmers practiced as a medical doctor until 1973. Until recently, he was a director of the UK Cochrane Centre. He is now Editor of The James Lind Library...
Charles volunteered for two trials, but ended up unable to take part in either of them. The first time he did not meet the eligibility criteria. The second time was because of an administrative mix-up about his age, and he feels it was not well handled.
Charles is a retired chief engineer. He is married with 5 adult children. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.
Anton has a long history of depression and has volunteered for several different trials in mental health, including trials of talking therapies as well as drug trials.
Anton is an auditor. He is single. Ethnic background/nationality: Sri Lankan. (You can see more of Anton talking about his experiences of depression on our site on Mental health’ ethnic...
Elizabeth was invited to join a trial of chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, but decided not to take part as she knew which treatment she would prefer and did not want to be randomised to another group. She felt the consultant was cross about her decision.
Elizabeth is a nurse. She is married with 2 grown-up children. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.
