Dev

In 2010, Dev traveled to India to visit a conference, and while he was there, he fell. After receiving an MRI and seeing three different doctors, Dev was diagnosed with MS at 36 years old. Dev has participated in three clinical trials. Dev describes the first clinical trial that he participated in as putting a machine on his leg and observing whether it works. The second clinical trial involved collecting blood samples for blood tests and an eye test. The third one involved taking an oral medication for one year that aimed to assess whether the gut had any implications on the immune system.

Dev had a positive experience with the clinical trials because the study teams were very thorough and very responsive. The researchers ensured Dev’s understanding by communicating whatever they were doing or what they were trying to achieve. Dev found that clinical trials meshed well with his regular care because his current regular medications help him cope with MS while clinical trials are complementary in that they are very subjective in nature and do not have a very big impact on the regular medications he takes. During his MS journey, Dev switched the medical institution in which he first received care to one that was more involved in research because he “wanted to be participating in trials.” Hope played a large role in Dev’s motivation for wanting to be involved in research: “every trial was a hope for me.” Involvement in clinical research gave Dev hope that he “might be the one who will be cured first” ultimately changing his perception on his treatment.