Get paid for UK clinical trials, without learning the rules the expensive way.
The Playbook walks you through ten UK trial centres, who qualifies, what screening involves, how washout rules decide when you can take part again, and how payment really works. Written by someone who has done it.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with any trial centre or sponsor.
Most first-timers lose time, money or both.
Paid clinical trials are not complicated, but they are unforgiving if you do not know how the system works. The mistakes are surprisingly consistent:
- Applying blind. Sending off applications to every study you see, then failing screening on something you could have checked in five minutes.
- Counting the money too early. Being made a reserve, going home after a night or two and being paid a fraction of the headline fee, plus the cost of the journey.
- Misjudging washout. Taking a study that locks you out of a better one, because you did not know how long you would have to wait.
- Letting the paperwork slide. Having no record of what you were paid, when, or by whom.
The Playbook puts all of that in one place, in plain English, so you can decide whether trials suit you and, if they do, start with far more knowledge than most people have on day one.
Who's behind it
I'm Miles Teston (a pen name). I took my first paid trial in 2017 after unexpectedly losing my job at an accounting firm, and over the years studies became a significant part of my income.
I'll be straight about what that looked like, because it is not the same every year:
The gap came down to things the book covers in detail: failed screenings, studies cancelled at short notice, being made a reserve, washout periods I misjudged, and weeks when nothing suitable was recruiting.
"Nothing is yours until you've been dosed."
Those figures are my own experience. They are not typical and they are not a promise. Trials are opportunity-based income, not a salary, and I'm a participant, not a medical professional.
What's inside
Five parts, twelve chapters, one clear path from "is this for me?" to your first study.
- Part IUnderstanding paid trials. What they are, residential versus non-residential studies, the risks and how studies are regulated, and what a realistic income picture looks like.
- Part IIFinding the right trials. Where studies are advertised, how to spot the suitable ones, and how to apply quickly without being reckless. Includes the centre-by-centre directory below.
- Part IIIGetting accepted. Age, BMI and health requirements, medications, lifestyle, blood donation, common exclusions, extra considerations for women, and exactly what happens at screening.
- Part IVParticipation and washout. Arriving for a study, reserve status and how to reduce your risk of it, residential life, withdrawal, payment, washout rules by centre and the TOPS system.
- Part VA repeatable system. Tracking opportunities, planning around washouts, avoiding burnout, travel costs, payment records, an introduction to tax considerations, and a first-trial action plan.
The UK centre directory
Chapter 5 gives each centre its own section covering what it typically runs, how it recruits, what the facilities are like and how its washout rules work.
- Nucleus Network
- GSK
- Fortrea
- Quotient Sciences
- Parexel
- Richmond Pharmacology
- FluCamp
- Simbec-Orion
- Celerion
- MAC Clinical Research
Centre names are used for identification only. Details change, so the book also shows you how to confirm current rules directly with each centre.
Five bonus files, included
Printable and fillable, so you can use the system from day one.
Centre Quick Reference Guide
A fast overview of the main UK centres: typical studies, recruitment, facilities and washout requirements, without searching the full guide.
Eligibility Checklist
Work through it before applying so you catch obvious problems before you contact the centre.
Screening Preparation Checklist
What to confirm, bring and understand before you arrive for screening.
Trial Tracking Sheet
Record opportunities when you find them, then update each entry as you apply and screen.
Washout & Participation Log
Keep dates, payments and washout information in one place, so you always know when you can take part again.
Is it for you?
This is for you if
- You live in the UK and are curious about paid healthy volunteer studies.
- You want to know how it works before you apply, not after.
- You are happy to be organised: tracking dates, keeping records, planning around washouts.
- You understand that taking part carries real risks and you want to weigh them properly.
This is not for you if
- You want a guaranteed income or a get-rich-quick plan. Nothing in the book promises acceptance onto a study or any level of earnings.
- You are looking for medical advice. The book is not medical, legal, tax or financial advice.
- You want patient trials for a medical condition. The book is about healthy volunteer studies.
- You are outside the UK. The centres, rules and payment details are UK-specific.
A word on risk
Clinical trials involve giving your body an experimental or newly tested drug, and that comes with known and unknown risks. A whole chapter of the Playbook is devoted to them, along with how informed consent works and how UK studies are regulated. It is there so you can make the decision with your eyes open, and it is as much part of the book as the money chapters.
60-day money-back guarantee
Read it, use the checklists, check the centres. If the Playbook is not useful to you, ask for a refund within 60 days of purchase and you will get your money back.
Refunds are handled through Digistore24. Request one from your order confirmation email, or contact [[SUPPORT_EMAIL]] and I'll point you in the right direction. Full refund details.
Questions
How much money can I make?
It depends, and nobody can promise you a figure. Payment depends on the study, its length, whether you are dosed and how often you qualify. Chapter 3 explains what determines pay and gives typical UK ranges, and the "Who's behind it" section above shows the real spread in my own years. The book does not guarantee acceptance onto any study or any level of income.
Is this safe?
Taking part in a clinical trial carries risks, and every study is different. The book has a full chapter on known and unknown risks, informed consent and the regulations that protect participants, but it is not medical advice. Always read each study's consent documents and speak to the research team before deciding.
I've never done a trial. Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. It is written for first-timers, with a step-by-step action plan for your first study, a glossary of the jargon and checklists for screening day.
What format is it, and how do I get it?
After checkout you get an instant download link for the book as a PDF, plus the five bonus files. Bonus 1 is a PDF reference guide. The two checklists (Bonuses 2 and 3) come as fillable PDFs with tick boxes you can click, and as Word files. The tracking sheet and washout log (Bonuses 4 and 5) are Word documents you can fill in on screen or print. You can also read the book on a phone or tablet.
Will the information go out of date?
Some details, such as payments, eligibility and individual centre rules, do change. That is why the book tells you what to check and how to confirm the current position directly with each centre or sponsor before you act.
Does it cover tax?
It includes an introduction to the tax considerations and how to keep payment records. It is general information, not tax advice, so for your own situation check HMRC guidance or speak to a qualified adviser.
Is the author medically qualified?
No. I'm a participant, and the book is the practical, volunteer's-eye view of how the UK system works. It is not medical advice.
How does payment work, and is checkout secure?
Orders are processed by Digistore24, the platform that handles the payment, the download and any refund. The payment methods available are shown at checkout.
Who do I contact if something goes wrong?
Email [[SUPPORT_EMAIL]]. If you have trouble with the download or your order, your Digistore24 confirmation email also has a support link.
Start with the knowledge I didn't have.
When I started I thought I was invincible. I'd mentally spend the fee before I'd even been to screening. This book is the version of me I wish I'd had on day one.
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