FAQs

Every trial is different, but typically you will receive one or more doses of the medication or vaccine that is being studied. You’ll then be closely monitored during your stay; staff will regularly check vital signs and conduct blood tests, physical exams or any other necessary medical tests. In some studies, some volunteers do not receive the study medication, but instead receive a placebo (a substance having no pharmacological effect but administered as a control).

Most of the procedures that take place will be in the morning to early afternoon hours. There can be times when the procedures are scheduled throughout the entire day.

You will have quite a bit of free time during the clinical trial, so feel free to bring with you phone, laptop, computer monitor, game console, books, games, or puzzles. Anything you normally do in your spare time.

There is always some risk involved when participating in clinical trials. As with any medication (or vaccine), side effects are always a possibility. However, with Nucleus Network you can be sure you are in safe hands; we’ve performed over 1,000 clinical trials across our clinics.

Our trials are conducted in the heart of world-standard medical precincts. You’ll be monitored every step of the way by a team of dedicated and experienced research nurses, medical officers and health care providers, with state-of-the-art medical equipment.

Participant safety and well-being are always our priority. You’ll be provided with a detailed understanding of the study via an Informed Consent session before you decide whether you want to participate.

All our trials are conducted in compliance with FDA regulations and approved by an independent ethics committee called an IRB (Institutional Review Board).

You can read more about our safety stats here.

As a clinical trial participant, you are reimbursed for your time and travel. This includes a reimbursement for your screening visit between $100 to $250, depending on the study.

If you are deemed to be ineligible after your screening visit due to a medical result, you will receive this screening reimbursement within a month of your screening appointment.

If you are deemed to be ineligible during or after your screening visit due to a positive drug, alcohol or nicotine test, you will receive $10 reimbursement within a month of your screening appointment.

Read the terms & conditions to learn more.

Nucleus Network reimburses all participants for their time. Payment varies depending on the length of the trial.

Generally speaking, you will be reimbursed $300 to $350 per day that you spend at the clinic. Based on the length of the study, this can quickly add up.

Our staff will be happy to answer your questions during the initial phone conversation and in-person screening, including:

• What are the risks to me?
• What is the intended use of the drug?
• What kind of procedures will be carried out?

After the Informed Consent session, you will have a medical check to ensure you are in good health and meet the requirements of the study. We also need to confirm that you haven’t taken any recreational drugs and, in the case of female volunteers, are not pregnant.

Depending on the study there may be additional tests, but the medical review will normally include:

• Height & weight
• Vital signs
• Electrocardiogram
• Blood sample for blood test
• Urine sample for drugs of abuse test
• Alcohol test

It takes at least a couple of days to get your results back. They need to be reviewed by one of our Medical Officers and, if your results match the criteria for the study, you will be eligible to participate.

Read more about the screening reimbursement terms & conditions.

We do our best to make your stay at our clinic as comfortable as possible. You can read more about daily life in the unit on our Participant Information page.

It depends on the study. Some of our shorter studies require you to stay for a short time (one to three nights), while longer studies can run for several weeks. You’ll be reimbursed according to the length of time you were required. To complete the study, you may then need to attend some short out-patient visits (usually 30-60 minutes).

While we have some studies that only require outpatient visits, we generally look for people who can stay at one of our clinics for at least 3 consecutive days & nights.

We have a variety of study schedules & dates, so you can definitely work around your job/studies/other commitments to participate in a clinical trial!

Absolutely! Tell your friends and family about Nucleus Network and the great work we do here and receive $500 when they complete their first study with us!

Learn more about our $500 referral bonus.

Nucleus Network reserves the right to exclude this benefit for certain types of studies (sample & device studies, etc).

Whether you are 18 or 59, studying, looking to couple your career with a cause, or a grandparent looking to make a difference, we need you. Volunteers of all ages, backgrounds, genders, and with a wide range of health profiles are essential to our studies. We will match you to trials based on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria included in the study protocol. Typically, you will only hear from us if you are likely to meet the requirements for that study.

To ensure that the development of these important medical treatments can proceed swiftly, most of our studies include ‘alternate’ participants. This way we have a back-up option in case someone needs to drop out. The number of alternates depends on the number of people who need to be dosed – for example 5 alternates if 18 participants are required.

Alternates are discharged after the other participants finish dosing. Alternates will be compensated for the time spent in the clinic. If alternates choose to leave before dosing is complete alternates will only receive compensation for your screening visit.

If you were considered an alternate, you will receive priority dosing for the next trial you meet eligibility requirements in, should you choose to participate again.

When will I know if I am an alternate?

Alternates must meet all eligibility requirements and are randomly selected the morning of dosing. Alternates are notified of their status status by a member of Nucleus Network's staff.

Our trials are conducted in facilities embedded in leading medical precincts in St. Paul, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Our St. Paul location is off Highway 280 and University Ave. We are in a building University Enterprise Laboratories (UEL) Suite 149.

Click here for locations and here to read more about our facilities.

Yes- absolutely! Prism Clinical Research was founded in 2005. In 2019 Prism was acquired by Nucleus Network, an Australian clinical trial company that was founded in 2003. Combined, we have conducted over 1,000 clinical trials throughout the years, and we have worked with some of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical industry.

Nucleus Network was acquired by Blackstone in March 2022. Our headquarter is located in Melbourne, Australia where we have been active since 2003.

Volunteering for a clinical trial is a great way to make a real difference for millions of people world-wide. It is also an opportunity to get paid to meet people from all over the world and learn more about health and clinical development. You’ll also receive a free comprehensive medical review as part of the trial screening process.

Check out just some of the medical treatments that we helped to develop.

This is where you sit down with our experienced health care provider or medical officer and ask as many questions as you like before consenting to the study. We will give you the Participant Information and Consent Form (PICF) that explains all you need to know about the study you are considering.

It details all potential risks and benefits as well as your rights and responsibilities. Before you participate you will be provided with all available information to inform your decision. At no point are you obligated to participate in the study.

Clinical trials are an essential part of delivering effective, safe treatments, vaccines, and other interventions to cure and manage a range of diseases. They help us understand the effectiveness, correct dosage, safety, and behavior of drugs in the human body. Conducting trials also allows us to see how drugs interact with other existing therapies or identify the best way to administer them e.g. a pill versus a patch.

Every single medication that is developed has to pass through clinical trials. Without clinical trial participants, there would be no COVID-19 vaccines, no new cancer treatments, no cheaper versions of existing medication... so it's safe to say that as a participant, you play a vital role!