Referral Partners       

Current Studies:

No study information has been provided.  If you are a recruiter for this clinic, please click here for more information on listing your studies. 

Study information has been supplied by clinic directly and screening slots may be filled before study information is removed.

Type of Clinic:

Primarily Healthy volunteer studies + Dental Clinic

In-Patient Capacity:

300 +

Website:

Company Info:

Pharmaceutical Product Development

Contrary to rumor, the Austin clinic is PPD's only Phase 1clinic. 

Photos:

None

Screening:

Many screenings will be for following week.  So be prepared to screen within 4 to 7 days of calling.

Due to the large volume of studies, it is possible to get same day screenings as well. 

PPD has two primary screenings. 

The 1st one is for the reading of the informed consent and lab work and the 2nd is for the physical. 

The 2nd screening can be a few days after the first or up to the day before check in. 

This needs to be taken into consideration when planning to come in from out of state. 

PPD will do last minute screenings, like screen on Monday, physical on Tuesday and check-in on Wednesday.  It just depends on how the previous screenings went.

Depending on the study, there may be additional screening visits required ie for holter monitors, eye exams etc. 

Volunteer Amenities:

Internet Access:

Each area has up to 15 public access computers.  Recently upgraded to newer computers.  Wifi can be slow on the weekends or when large groups are in house. 

Housing:

There are 3 sections to the clinic and each section is inaccessible to the others.  There is one hospital style dorm mainly for heart monitoring and procedure intensive studies.  The other two are higher capacity dorms with 8 to a room.  Most beds in the dorms have individual electrical outlets. 

Parking:

Limited On-site (Park at your own risk) 

If you are screening, you can park in front of the building in designated areas painted on the ground. 

If you are checking in for a study, you cannot park your car in the lot in front of or behind PPD.

Study participants must park in the upper parking lot, past the main building and up the hill. 

Shuttle service is provided.   

While there is roaming security on the upper lot, there have been break ins and vandalism.  Do not leave any valuables in your vehicle and if at all possible, do not leave your car on long studies. 

While it would cost a bit of money, consider parking at one of the airport parking lots nearby. 

Food:

Prepared in house.  7 day menu for standard diet.  Good quality meals.  Many people like the zucchini bread and they'll give you the recipe if you ask. 

Payment:

For short stays of 10 days or less, you will typically receive your money in a lump sum in the mail once the study is completed.  For longer single stay studies, you will typically get most of the money on your last check out and the rest in the mail about two weeks later.  For longer studies that are broken up into multiple periods, you will typically but not always, get a few checks, usually starting with your second and on stays and the rest in the mail once you complete the study. 

This is not guaranteed!  This is just the way it's been so far but the polices can always change.  According to PPD written policy in the informed consent, they reserve the right to issue payment within 3 weeks of completion of study, so it is a courtesy that they offer multiple checks when time constraints allow.   

Attire:

PPD provides color coded T-shirts and pants scrubs.  You are only required to wear the color coded T-shirt so you can wear your own bottoms.  You may wish to bring your own pants and sweat shirts.  It is cold up there!  Bring sweatshirts and a blanket if your not used to living in the arctic. 

Camera Policy:

PPD is trying out a new program with placing tamper-evident tape over cameras of cellphones and laptops.  If you remove the tape, it will be evident and you can be banned from future studies and or fined.  You must show up at least 30 minutes before your scheduled check-in time to have the tape applied.  If you do not show up in time, it may take a day or two to get your device brought up. 

Laundry:

Provided on studies longer than 1 week.  They will wash and fold your laundry :)

Additional Information:

The clinic conducts a large volume of studies ranging from short multi stay to long 30 day single stay studies.  Lots of out of town people come to Austin for the large studies while college students fill in the weekend studies. 

*Children are not allowed inside the clinic whether your there for a screening, repeat or out-patient even if there is someone to watch them. 

PPD has a video about their clinic geared towards both potential volunteers and prospective pharmaceutical clients.

 

This is the clinic where I do the majority of my studies.  This is a large clinic and with all large things in life, there has to be order or there will be chaos.  To some, the order at PPD may seem excessive, but given the volume of studies and volunteers this place has to deal with on an ongoing basis, it is to be expected that problems will arise.  The majority of the problems are handled and solved to satisfaction by the Volunteer Relations department.

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Travel Information:  Wikipedia for Austin