Thursday, March 6, 2008

Need some cash?

Saw this in the yahoo news:

SEATTLE - The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute will pay volunteers as much as $4,000 to be bitten by mosquitoes infected with malaria. Scientists say no lives are in danger because the volunteers can be cured. The institute is testing which vaccines work fastest.

The head of the program, Dr. Patrick Duffy, says volunteers will spend several nights under medical supervision in a hotel.
All of the human trials will be reviewed for safety by the Food and Drug Administration.


Yeah, so I know that there's a strong possibility that we are headed towards a recession but not so sure times are so desperate that I'm willing to be infected with a DEADLY DISEASE to make a little cash! Cure or no cure! And then who wants to be the one with the slow working vaccine? I don't know much about the disease but I can't believe it's an easy time what with it killing you and all. And then how long are the scientist going to let you go without giving you the vaccine. Right after the mosquito (the little bastards) bite you? Or will they wait it out a week? Perhaps wait until the first showing of syptoms.

Here are the syptoms of malaria in case you didn't know:
Malaria is characterized by fever, shivering, pain in the joints, headache and repeated vomiting. The parasite lives in red cells and eventually ruptures them, creating anemia. Severe anemia is often the cause of death in areas with intense malaria transmission. If left untreated, the disease progresses to severe malaria and results in convulsions and coma. (taken from the medical center's website)

Not sure how long it takes for the syptoms to show but not sure I'd want to wait around while a parasite parties it up in my red blood cells. *gags ever so slightly* But maybe if they gave the vaccine right after the bite...Nope, nah, I have a 4O1K I can tap into before I'll need that money that badly.

But hey, if you do need some dough (and hopefully a nice hotel stay) here's the web address- http://www.sbri.org
I won't judge!

2 comments:

Miz Motormouth said...

I would do it. But I'd I'd have to earn at least $10 grand after taxes. Hell, I need the money. Wouldn't go all the way to Seattle though. That would cut into my earnings.

Not Your Average Male said...

Ummm -- I don't know about you, but I'm about to go drink a ton of OJ and devour chicken soup like there were a winning lottery ticket at the bottom of the bowl... malaria just sounds terrible