Clinical trials

[nightrider]

My oncologist Dr Choudhury has asked me several times would I be interested in taking part in a new study, I expressed a possible interest so they sent me the details by post the other day, having read through it I thought no way, this is the stuff of nightmares.

The drugs they will be using have been tested on animals and this will be the first time that they are being tested on humans, the first thing is that I would have to sign a disclaimer to absolve the hospital of any blame should something go wrong, and should anything go wrong it would be up to me to pay my own legal costs, no way Jose, but they did say that they would pay me expences and pay for lunches, how kind of them?

[Randonneur]

It makes us realise how lucky we are to live in France and in the French health system. I am on week 9 of a 12 week Chemo treatment, 3 times a week, at Poitiers, 2.1/2 hours to get there and they provide us with an Ambulance car and also have a restaurant facility (including wine if you want it) for patients in the Day Hospital. I had 3 grotty weeks a few weeks ago due to a virus rearing its ugly head and the 14 day course of tablets cost 1600 euros, this week I am on 5 injections, given at home by the District Nurse and each one is 106 euros. The Doctors don't have any idea how much things cost and as long as it is the right treatment for you then you get it. They also provided me with protein drinks, again all paid for. I cannot praise the Hospital enough as their treatment is superb, the staff cannot do enough for you, even when I had to have 2 blood transfusions and it took us past the hour that the Day Hospital closes so they just moved us upstairs so it could continue, it was a very long day from 05.15 to 11pm.

 

I had Chemo in the UK every 2 years for 10 years before coming to France and although the treatment I received was excellent it wasn't a patch on the French system. The last Chemo I had here was 9 years ago so something was definitely different.

 

Sylvia