Better living through science

[fredericks]

I've fallen back on being a guinea pig in order to make some cash. I don't think I'll ever get desperate enough to subject my body to drug testing, but psychological exams will do. Took part in a study on mental health the other day and made $40. Came back this afternoon for a study on the physiological effects of stress. Went all the way uptown only to find out that the metal in my leg made me unsuitable to participate (there were slight shocks involved). Fun. I get paid (by money order, since they apparently had no cash on hand), but making the extra trek was no fun. Oh well.

Comments

[aniseastra.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this will make you feel better about doing experimental drug testing, but the FDA won't allow women of childbearing age to test the *really* experimental drugs. If you do decide to do the drug trials, you'll be testing things that have at least gone through phase I and II trials (they test on animals in stage I, and on healthy males in stage II.) Of course, I wouldn't really trust the FDA to tell me what's safe to take, either, being heavily influenced by the drug companies themselves... *cough*vioxx*

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Drug trials = no no for me. I don't think I'll ever need cash badly enough to subject my body to drugs no one's really sure of. The only reason I'm doing the psych trials is because I need a little pocket change. When paying rent and/or feeding kids becomes an issue, then I might reconsider.

I was actually interested in doing testing for possible HIV vaccines after visiting a GLBT job fair a while back; the scientists, happy to have their "target" audience on hand, were trying very hard to get subjects. I went in for the screening, was considered a candidate, and then confided in an aunt about the whole thing. She sort of freaked and asked me if I really trust the regulations enough to put my life on the line, raising all sorts of practical doubt in me about the whole kitten caboodle. I realize that live bodies are needed to test the efficacy of any potential drugs out there, but I don't yet have enough motivating me personally (loss of a friend/relative to a particular disorder/illness) in order to personally justify the potential risks. Where does one draw the line between being altruistic and being foolish?