Earl and Linda Brosius Share Their Story

Earl and Linda Brosius both suffer from high cholesterol. And the statins prescribed to them just weren’t working.

Linda’s LDL numbers weren’t budging. Ed found himself suffering side effects.

That’s when the couple received an invitation to participate in a Geisinger research study, a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the drug Praluent. Every three months, the couple headed from their home in Freeburg to the Geisinger cardiology clinic in Danville for EKG’s, blood work and physical exams.

For Earl, the drug worked exactly like it was intended. “The numbers were going great. I never got any of the discomfort I was getting from all the rest of the drugs I had tried.”

For Linda, the effects weren’t as pronounced, but she still appreciates the care delivered to her throughout the study.

“I feel like I had the best care possible. I had doctors and nurses watching everything.”

Clinical trials are a vital component of research and at the heart of all medical advances. They look at new ways to prevent, detect or treat disease and participants sign up for a variety of reasons.
For the Brosiuses, they felt good knowing they could help others.

“That’s very important because I know a lot of people who can’t take statin drugs,” Linda says. “Being in the program, I know down the road I’m going to help someone. Even if it didn’t do the best for me, it’s going to help someone else.”

“It was well worth it,” says Earl. “The experience was wonderful. The nurses were just super. We actually looked forward to coming to Danville.”

And one final tidbit: Praluent has since been approved by the FDA to treat high cholesterol.