Loretta McConegy, from the Asthma and Allegery Research Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Newark, points to the pollen on a ragweed plant. As ragweed season begins and you reach for an antihistamine to help relieve a runny nose and itchy, watery eyes, you might want to shed one of those tears for the allergy-afflicted souls who take part in drug trials long before the pills get to market.