by Joshua Curtis
Daily Lobo
The UNM Health Sciences Center is searching for subjects for at least 30 studies, according to the Web site.
Vanessa, a participant in a study for a vaccine for human papilloma virus, or HPV, was happy with the program, she said.
"I get free Pap smears, free birth control, and they are nice," she said.
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She declined to give her last name.
There are many benefits of being part of the program, she said.
"When I was doing the study, I found out I had cervical cancer, and they paid for the laser procedure to get rid of the cancer," she said. "That's a great benefit. They do all the lab work. They pay for all of that."
Erika Sampson, research coordinator for the HSC's Clinical Trials Center, said each study group needs different kinds of people.
"Each individual study done has its own unique criteria - not a set criteria," she said.
Most of the studies done by the center involve some type of medication, but there are many other types of programs at UNM Hospital, she said.
She said it is important to think about the risks before signing up for a study.
"It all depends on what you are doing," she said. "Most of the research we do is investigational medication, and everything - even over counter - has side effects. That is an important consideration."
There are health benefits involved in some studies, she said.
"Most of the stuff we do is people with a certain disease," she said. "It's being able to offer newer treatments, but there's not a guarantee."
The program is not only for students or other members of the UNM community, but they are welcome to participate, she said.
Stefan Posse, a UNM faculty member, is organizing a program that looks at the brain with magnetic resonance imaging machines. He is looking for participants.
"I am looking for folks who are curious about your own brains," he said.
Besides satiating their curiosity, participants in the study can get $25 per hour, he said.
"We give them a nice view of their brain," he said. "We pay them also and also inspire people to learn more about their brains."
The tests are safe, he said.
"Risk of the MRIs are mostly associated with a magnetic field. Long-term effects are not there," he said. "We have had this technology for 30 years, and no effects have been found."
For more information and a list of studies, including the ones mentioned above, go to the HSC studies Web site at hsc.unm.edu/calendar/studies.cfm.
