clinical trials are scary

I've been a willing participant in at least ten clinical trials over the years, although it feels like more, because they can last for months or years.  I tested all of the triptans when they were first developed in the early to mid-90s.  It was the only way I could get my hands on some type of migraine relief.  Plus, I almost felt an obligation to future sufferers to help get these approved (even after Imitrex was released and marketed).  Each time a foreign substance was injected into me or swallowed, I got a little nervous, although mostly by that point, I was crippled with pain and didn't care.  The nerve-racking part was when I was required to sign the Informed Consent forms.

Why am I bringing this up now?  Besides the fact that I'm currently in another migraine clinical trial?

Because one in France went horribly wrong, leaving one man brain-dead and at least three others brain-damaged.  That's probably not what they signed up for, although maybe it was buried in their 50-page Informed Consent form.  Not many people read them closely.

I still have no idea of any long-term effects of the experimental drug I'm on.  Because I'm one of the ones who will provide them with that data.  So far so good.