There's Big Money -- And Some Risk -- In Being A Human Guinea Pig

CYPRESS (CBSLA.com)  — It's a quick new way to make money.

CBS2's Lisa Sigell shared what it's like to cash in on clinical trials by participating through scientific research.

Years before medication hits pharmacy shelves, drug manufacturers have to prove that the product is safe and effective.

Therefore, this provides a need for people who are willing to be among the very first humans to try a new drug. In return, drug testers receive cash for their participation in the trial.

WCCT Global in Cypress is known to be one of Southern California's largest facilities for phase one drug trials.

"We can do studies that are $5,000 to $10,000," said COO Jon Rojas. "It all depends on the number of days you're in and the number of procedures that have to be done."

In order to become eligible to participate, testers have to be deemed perfectly healthy.

Qualifying for a study, however, isn't always so easy.

Simple factors such as elevated blood pressure, blood test abnormalities or even a history of allergies can disqualify you.

"When you come in you'll be searched," said Rojas. "We look through their bags. We look through their pockets. Its an incredibly controlled environment."

Once admitted to the trial, testers can only eat meals that are served by scientists involved in the study.

"You lose your freedom to do what you want," said Rojas. "If you drink or eat something that I don't eat, it affects how the medication is absorbed. It affects the profile, which means we don't know if its the medication that's doing this or if its the food you ate."

Sigell reported some of the clinical trials that many participate in involve trials focused on the heart, diabetes, asthma and arthritis among many others.

According to Rojas, phase one drug studies are the riskiest and highest paid trials as they require perfectly healthy volunteers who are willing to be among others to try a new drug.

This type of study only examines whether a drug is safe and or what the possible side effects are. They don't reveal whether a drug is effective, however.

"In consenting, we tell you everything we know about this compound," said Rojas. "We tell you about the animal studies, the potential side effects. All the risks involved."

To learn more about phase one studies at WCCT Global, click here.

Phases two and three often examine whether a drug is effective against illness, Rojas explained.

Participants of these trials usually have the disease in question, and are looking for new treatment.

For more information regarding phase two and three trials, click here.

It's important to recognize, however, that taking a drug that has never been tried before can carry short and long term risks.

If you'd like to share your experience of participating in a clinical trial, we'd love to hear from you. Send your story to gsconstant@cbs.com or send a tweet to @gerrishaftel.

*Story produced for television by Gerri Shaftel Constant, CBS2/KCAL9 Medical Producer.