Drug trials : SCCT doctor in ProPublica "Dollars for Docs" database: who trials the drugs you take? they earn a living doing it

Have you ever wondered how some drug trials are conducted? they aren't always at a University (such as Dr.Charles Schulz and the infamous Seroquel trial suicide scandal at the University of Minnesota ) . Have you ever wondered how the drugs approved by the FDA were trialed? who conducted the trials? and who were the people trialing (your) the drugs?

I've become aquainted with South Coast Clinical Trials in Southern California, as a result of participating in social media 'live' pharmaceutical engaging 'chats' where social media PR hover and connect, network and promote themselves, their companies.

It's where I became aware of Dan Sfera, who has contacted me via Twitter and we discussed drug trials (I asked if he conducted them) and I also asked if he had children as participants, which he told me "No", thankfully.

He offered (attempted to promote via sales pitch) to video tape my "story" as a 'bad experience' for his blog, Clinical Trials Guru, of which I declined. My 'story' is beyond bad experience and remains here on my blog.

Being the person I am, I could not resist taking a look at this clinic, once I started 'following' Dan on Twitter, to check the doctors he works with for pharmaceutical income, and I had also asked which companies they worked with due to the psychiatric nature of his business, and that was not answered in specific company names.

From the South Coast Clinical Trials website:

Dr. Adonis Sfera, MD (relative?)

is a board certified psychiatrist who has been serving the Southern California area for over 15 years. For the past 10 years, he has been involved in more than 50 studies, with a particular emphasis on psychiatric trials. He founded South Coast Clinical Trials, Inc. in 2001, and has been either the Principal Investigator or the Sub-Investigator in all of our studies since then. He also maintains a private practice in general and geriatric psychiatry at our Anaheim site.

Dr. Johnny Edrozo, MD

a board certified psychiatrist specializing in general, geriatric and child psychiatry, has been affiliated with SCCT since 2005. He is the Principal Investigator as well as Sub-Investigator for a number of our studies. In addition to his research activities, Dr. Edrozo also has a private practice in general, geriatric and child psychology in Anaheim.

Dr. Edrozo ProPublica Dollars for Docs, database

EDROZO, JOHNNY AGUINALDO

Calif. Cerritos

Pfizer

$828 2009
Q3-Q4 Professional Advising: $53.00, Meals: $387.00, Business Related Travel: $346.00, Educational Items: $42.00 EDROZO, JOHNNY AGUINALDO


Dan Sfera, BS, MBA

a regulatory and contract specialist, is responsible for business development and is the Anaheim Site Director. In addition, Mr. Sfera is the Site Liaison for the company and is in charge of obtaining new studies as well as handling all of the necessary study start-up activities for our multiple sites. Dan serves as the liaison between South Coast Clinical Trials and SCCT’s pharmaceutical sponsors or Contract Research Organizations, ensuring that each and every facet of the trials are in full compliance with the Food and Drug Administration and Institutional Review Boards.

Press Release Advertised on the site

"The suicide rate in Bipolar Disorder is higher than any other mental disorder,” said Dr. Johnny Edrozo, a board certified psychiatrist who also functions as a principal investigator for South Coast Clinical Trials. “We are partnering with major pharmaceutical companies to find treatments that directly save people’s lives.”

I did not find a financial disclosure for conflict of interest (COI) for Dr. Edrozo, and for obvious ethical reasons and transparency to clients, this should be known that the doctor receives personal income from a pharmaceutical company that sells psychiatric medications. (Pfizer).

Here's one of the videos from the Clinical Trials Guru site of 2 people who have participated in multiple drug trials, which can be an income sustaining practice, where some people may call them and others who do this for a living, "human guinea pigs" or "professional guinea pigs". Some people seek out drug trials just for the money, or the medications.

Don's interview with two people who have done multiple Clinical Studies. from Don Walters on Vimeo. (one on the right "used to be homeless" "schizophrenic".)

Dan is a savvy business man, that is apparent when speaking with him. As the pharmaceutical industry is a business, and profits are to be made, it is wise to know as much as possible before entering a drug trial. Make sure to have complete informed consent, and that may take research by YOU (participant) to read far more than what has been given by the clinic you attend.

Antipsychotics such as Seroquel and Abilify are being touted as add-on antidepressants and the side effects of diabetes and permanent movement disorders, among many side effects remain the same for the drugs...they remain atypical antipsychotics, neuroleptics with possible life changing side effects that one must consider deeply before earning a quick buck in a drug trial.