More students participate in pharmaceutical research
More students participate in pharmaceutical research
Door Remco van Veluwen
By Remco van Veluwen
‘We’ve seen a continued increase in students signing up since March and April, during the first lockdown. That’s when more of them applied to participate’, says a spokesman. He also confirms that the number of students wanting to join is up from before the pandemic.
Whether this is a way for students to make up for money they lost because they can’t work, he can’t say. ‘We have no insight into their financial situation.’
More time
It’s possible students simply have more time now. During a pharmaceutical study, participants have to stay at a clinic near the Martini hospital for several consecutive days.
Normally, students don’t have time for this because they have class, but with everything online, that’s no longer an issue. Students who’ve signed up also say the change of surroundings and the contact with other participants is a plus if you’re otherwise spending your time home alone.
Restrictions
PRA has a group of regular participants. ‘But people can’t participate in studies indefinitely; there are restrictions’, the spokesman says. ‘You can’t finish one study and start another one a week later. You need to take at least a thirty-day break. So we’re happy that more people are interested.’