My participation in a medical research project
In the Spring of last year, I took part in a 12-week medical trial of a new ‘polypill’ and wrote about the experience on this blog, the last entry being this one.
This morning, my wife and I spent two and a quarter hours at an assessment centre in Hounslow in west London as participants in a major medical research project called “UK Biobank”. The initiative aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses – including cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis and forms of dementia. The project is recruiting 500,000 people aged 40-69 from across the country to take part.
The visit consisted of:
- A touch-screen questionnaire covering medical history, life style and diet
- A touch screen hearing test with headphones
- Some touch screen memory tests ( I forget the detail!)
- A whole series of physical tests, including eye tests, blood pressure measurement, lung function test, a cycling exercise, and blood, urine & saliva samples
Information on Biobank here.
May 17th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Ah, you did a cycling exercise. Excellent. I’ve got a 100 mile bike ride planned for this weekend. Maybe you’d like to tag along?
May 17th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
Yes, David – we did about five minutes, maintaining 60-65 revolutions per minute. Do you think that equips me for a 100-mile effort?
May 17th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Ah, I did mine when 14 years ago, just crept in before time expired.
Great fun, first time I had used a touch screen.