2. AUT00063 in the USA right now...the Clarity-1 Trial for age related hearing loss.
I applied many months ago as fall into the inclusion criteria (am 65 in a few months). However, the nearest site was an air flight away (Portland) and a hassle, until a new one just opened up at an ENT's practice in Sacramento, CA. I contacted Autifony, who contacted them, and I got a response immediately. *[Portland has been asleep at the wheel and still not recruiting yet!]. I had a long chat with a super fellow at that Sacramento ENT's office who is totally into "informed people" in trials like this...so we got on like house on fire. Obviously I asked for more detailed exclusion data to save me a 6 hour round trip drive, as I have tinnitus & hyperacusis and wondered if that was a factor. I got more than enough info...including that the TFI index is integral to the screening (Tinnitus Functional Index - attached). There is no way I can 'hide' the fact that I have T and H as I go everywhere in 'public' with plugs in for protection, until I know if it's "safe" (like that a doc is not a loud talker if I'm waiting in a small examining room; or if a quiet seeming store has loud PA system; etc., etc.).
OK so the trial guy tells me of another applicant who looked super (like me) but was screened out because he scored above 24 on the TFI...That is their threshold level! Twenty four.
So I said: "Look to save us both time let me do the test right now and I will call you back in a few".
Which I did...and scored 31 on the index once "scored" correctly (use the instructions as it is not just a straight addition game). Now, let's be clear here...I scored myself near zero for all the plethora of questions of my T 'affecting' my personal condition within myself. Like ability to think, to sleep, to concentrate and all that stuff. As in general, even though I have incredibly loud central T "EEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" at all times, I have "adapted" to that pretty well. As I have said before many times (and just for the record this was 'my description' originally, not "You Know Who's")..."my tinnitus is my silence". Hell, after 59 years at same tone, (but 4 volume increases) that can be expected. It's the SRT (sound-reactive-T) and H that is my killer. And that hits squarely at the "quality of life" questions, 19.-22.
"Boom!"...if I was honest, those would all peg at the 9-10 level...Like "completely destroys my social activities, relationships, enjoyment of life, etc." What relationships???!!! People don't like being on alert all the time if I have plugs out, it's boring for them...Oh forget it. I have an axe to grind on the complete lack of understanding most folks have for "invisible illnesses/suffering".
So, that disqualified me for the "Clarity-1" trial right there. Let alone I could easily put some 1's and 2's in some of the other TFI questions of course.