Would you sell your body for $8,000?

[Vikuna2009+]

I met an old friend this morning, we talked about this and that just like old friends do. Then he told me that his neigbhor was in the hospital for eighteen days!

I thought, poor guy, I wonder what is wrong with him, so I asked. His answer blew me away, totally. This is what he said:

No, there is nothing wrong with him. He is taking experimental drugs as the doctors are researching how the drugs affects the body by constantly tapping his spine for fluid.

Yep! Become a human guinea pig, book yourself in for 18 days and get $8,000 for the "bother", insane !

My old friend just laughed and said a lot of people are doing it! Thank gosh I'm not hanging in THAT crowd anymore.

Article marketers, Newbies and all you other IMers, maybe it's time to put in some over-time lol :-)

[Tracy Shaffer]

Makes me want to work harder at stopping trading my time for money.

[Vikuna2009+]

Yep, totally agree. This certainly puts a new spin on going to the doctor.....

[radio]

lots of places conduct human trials on medications and whatnot... hadn't heard of the spinal tap though (just lots of blood draws). once you pass the animal trials, you need to the human experiments for fda approval.

[Vikuna2009+]

That's just it! What if those drugs did not get approval because something went horribly wrong? Even drugs that does get approved have killed and had to be re-called.

I just don't understand how someone can be so desperate and willingly do something like this. I would rather walk away from everything I owned and sleep on a friend's couch until I had found a way to make an honest living again.

Just my 2 ore...

[Jeff Williams]

Wow, I clicked on this link rather quickly. I'm a little embarrassed now that I think about it ...

So, $8,000 for experimental drugs and spinal taps? I'll agree, that's pretty bad. But what's really insane is what some people will do for just $50. Makes your head spin ...

-Jeff

[Vikuna2009+]

$50 ? Any suggestions what I'd have to to for that :-( ? lol

Originally Posted by Jeff Williams

Wow, I clicked on this link rather quickly. I'm a little embarrassed now that I think about it ...

So, $8,000 for experimental drugs and spinal taps? I'll agree, that's pretty bad. But what's really insane is what some people will do for just $50. Makes your head spin ...

-Jeff

[tommygadget]

That title is TOTAL link bait! Nice job.

TomG.

[Valorie]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

I just don't understand how someone can be so desperate and willingly do something like this. I would rather walk away from everything I owned and sleep on a friend's couch until I had found a way to make an honest living again.

Could you do it if you were going to lose your kids if you couldn't support them? I wouldn't do it so I could get a plasma tv or a vacation, but I would do it to keep my kids out of foster care.

[Vikuna2009+]

Originally Posted by Valorie

Could you do it if you were going to lose your kids if you couldn't support them? I wouldn't do it so I could get a plasma tv or a vacation, but I would do it to keep my kids out of foster care.

Hmm.... You got me there ... As a matter of fact, my friend's neighbor IS a dad, divorced too. But, the kids does not live with him though. If they have a place to stay (with mom), I would not do it.

If on the other hand mom could not afford to keep her place if dad did not pay child support, that would be a dilemma. However, I would do ANYTHING in my power NOT to do it.

What if I died as I was being experimented on, could not be to much good use then, could I?



TOM: Thanks for the compliment !

[tommygadget]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

TOM: Thanks for the compliment !

Sure thing. Feel free to click on the "Thanks" button!

TomG.

[artwebster]

If you have never been seriously ill. If you have never seen a loved one be seriously ill. If you have never experienced the joy of waking 'from the dead' then I can understand why subjecting yourself to this sort of testing could seem odd.

What I see as odd, though, is that rather than talk about altruism, service to mankind and medical research - $8,000 seems to be important.

I have never been paid for participating in clinical trials but I know that my condition can make me a valuable guinea pig so, if I am asked and if I am able, I do volunteer.

[Mark Brian]

I've heard of people selling body organs. I still think that despite of the high risk and "desperation" for money, they still do a great and somewhat noble service to others. They get paid to risk their lives and save others. Hats off to them... but major boo to serial killers who get paid to do otherwise.

[Emily Meeks]

Most trials are pretty safe.

CRO | Contract Research Organization | PPD Home Page <-- conducts trials in my city.

I don't have a problem with the trials, but I don't participate for my boyfriend's sake. If you do your research on who's conducting them and you don't do them too often, chances are you'll be fine.

[kempos]

This is amazing what people will do for a few bucks. They guy might be dead or at least not well for the rest of his live but hey!...he got $8k

Crazy

[Sam Rodrigo]

Hey, the title is a bit misleading! It's just a 18-day lease of the body. Then you have it back and IF the good Doc did well, it will also heal itself of any puncture wounds.

Sam

[Raiel Schwartz]

My body is worth far more than $8000, I probably wouldn't subject myself to any tests (unless I already have a disease, and the clinical trial is for a cure or prevention)

[snidge]

I had an uncle that did something like this lol. He got too old for it I hear and instead of finally getting a job, he got his younger girlfriend to start doing it instead. Some people are insane!

[jojobusiness]

What about prostitutes who "SELL" their bodies to anyone for $50 to feed their drug addiction? Let alone all kind of diseases they carry in their body...

[TLCarroll]

Clinical trials is how filmmaker Robert Rodriquez got the $5-7K to make his first feature length movie, El Mariachi. That movie launched his career.

[Entropy4]

There's the sleep studies too, where you get to sit in a single room by yourself for a month straight with no contact to the outside word for $5,000 or so.

[BlackWaterBlog]

$8,000 for a chance to die? No thanks.

[Alexa Smith]

I think the number of people who have ever died or even been left with any illnesses after taking part in such clinical trials is infinitessimally small. In fact I don't remember ever hearing of one at all. And it would certainly be a huge news story if it ever happened.

People looking at this in terms of a "chance of dying" should perhaps reflect on the fact that the chances of a $50 or $100 prostitute dying (and that's a way of making money that's far, far more widespread in society) are probably about 10,000 times as high as these people pocketing their $8,000.

Statistically, this is probably about as safe as getting on a plane, and considerably safer than driving a car, I'd think.

[Harry Behrens]

Originally Posted by alexa_s

I think the number of people who have ever died or even been left with any illnesses after taking part in such clinical trials is infinitessimally small. In fact I don't remember ever hearing of one at all. And it would certainly be a huge news story if it ever happened.

I would say that depends on the country where you're at... in the US or UK I'm sure it's true, but if someone offered me this where I live, I would run like a bat outta hell

Still seems freaky to me though no matter the level of safety... and for the friend to have told her 'don't worry everybody's doing it!" what! yeah right...

Anyway I'll be waiting for the HOW I MADE $8,000 IN 18 DAYS NO WEBSITE NO LIST NO TRAFFIC GUARANTEED! WSO to appear

[Alexa Smith]

Originally Posted by Harry Behrens

I would say that depends on the country where you're at... in the US or UK I'm sure it's true, but if someone offered me this where I live, I would run like a bat outta hell

Yes, very good point - sorry! I was thinking only of US/UK and other countries where such pharmaceutical programs have already had years of extensive research, passed through various layers of very publicity-conscious ethical committees and so on.

Originally Posted by Harry Behrens

Anyway I'll be waiting for the HOW I MADE $8,000 IN 18 DAYS NO WEBSITE NO LIST NO TRAFFIC GUARANTEED! WSO to appear

That'll be a classic one: looking forward to it!

[Saul']

In other words get employed as a lab rat. $8k in 18 days is not bad I suppose, but being a lab rat is not my calling, thank you very much.

But hey, no job is a bad job. Give the guy some credit, he may be a subject for a drug that will save your life.

[Vikuna2009+]

IF?

Yeah, if...

Originally Posted by Sam Rodrigo

Hey, the title is a bit misleading! It's just a 18-day lease of the body. Then you have it back and IF the good Doc did well, it will also heal itself of any puncture wounds.

Sam

[rhelaine]

i did that when i was in college...did it for far less than 8000...

[Yisroelk]

I am almost sure that they need to have some type of approval before you can begin human trials. I dont believe its a risky as some of you make out to be. Still, I would never do that!!

[talfighel]

I would never do this. This is insane. What if you have complications??

Some people would do this and this amazes me a lot. But again,when it comes to MONEY, some people will do anything.

Tal

[Joseph Then]

Don't sell this as a secret in DP, some might do it.

[EmmaJames]

In college, some girls on my floor were desperate for
cash and sold their eggs for $3,000 to a local fertility
clinic.

I was always too afraid of needles so they couldn't talk
me into it. But most of them now wonder what happened
to their eggs and if they may in fact have children out there.

It's crazy what people will do for money...and that was
17 years ago. I'll bet they pay a heck of a lot more now.

[Christa_Regalado]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

That's just it! What if those drugs did not get approval because something went horribly wrong? Even drugs that does get approved have killed and had to be re-called.

I just don't understand how someone can be so desperate and willingly do something like this. I would rather walk away from everything I owned and sleep on a friend's couch until I had found a way to make an honest living again.

Just my 2 ore...

This thread reminds me of the ad I saw on the subway, women who sell their eggs to fertility clinics. I think the women get paid in that range as well.

[HeySal]

When I saw the title I thought - hell, if I found someone that wanted my body bad enough to pay that kind of money I'd probably marry him.

There are a few things that come to my mind here -
1. Around a quarter of a mil die each year from APPROVED drugs. Pharms are dangerous period.
2. Our present head of the FDA almost didn't get his job - they told him he had to quit the experiments in FL that were enraging the public - he was paying desperate low income mothers $1,000 bucks and a t-shirt (no, not kidding) to spray their babies with toxic chemicals to see the effects.
3. Sometimes a person has been told they have no hope of survival against a disease. The drug on trial MAY save them. These people not only are happy to try them out - they will petition for the right to do so - can we blame them?
4. Back in the 50's (and it may still be going on, who's gonna tell us?) the medical community and government were using masses of population to test these things without the knowledge of those to be effective. There's an old book called 10,000 guinea pigs. Can't remember who wrote it but it's extremely enlightening.
I would much rather see people go willingly and get paid for it than having something dropped in our water, food, vaccines, or subways where people never suspect they are exposed to a danger.
5. Some people will do anything for a buck including sell their own children, kill, torture, sell national security secrets, run lethal drugs. So whether someone wants to sell themselves for some cash isn't a real surprising thing. You can only hope that they are making good choices and have solid reasons for the studies they participate in.

If you are thinking of getting into one of these studies - just remember this:
Our medical community is an industry - not separate from the Pharmaceutical corporate complex. Pharms write the courses and direct the programs that our med students take. They PAY for the studies on their own products and can be very effective at tipping results in their favor. How many whistle blowers are there considering the pharms are paying their bills or giving the grants? The FDA is also supported by the very industries it is constructed to protect us from - usually "safe" means "safe enough to avoid massive law suits" and even then they mess up.

Any time you put a chemical in your body that wasn't naturally meant to be there it can cause problems -- tested or untested. So just weigh the benefits and the risks real careful before you sign up for a study.

[TimPhelan]

Sal, not sure where you got your info, but the head of the FDA is a woman, is from New York and was never involved with spraying low income mothers with toxic chemicals.

Originally Posted by HeySal

2. Our present head of the FDA almost didn't get his job - they told him he had to quit the experiments in FL that were enraging the public - he was paying desperate low income mothers $1,000 bucks and a t-shirt (no, not kidding) to spray their babies with toxic chemicals to see the effects.

[Vikuna2009+]

Quote: "When I saw the title I thought - hell, if I found someone that wanted my body bad enough to pay that kind of money I'd probably marry him. "

Maybe its time for the WF to come up with a NEW category: Warrior looking for Warriora !

[IM Headlines]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

Yep! Become a human guinea pig, book yourself in for 18 days and get $8,000 for the "bother", insane !

I would NEVER do that! Not for $8,000, NOT for & 80,000, NOT for $800,000... NOTHING!

What if they make a mistake and they screw your body?

Believe me, health is the most valuable thing your life... I suggest that you take care of it.

[MikeAmbrosio]

Originally Posted by Vikuna2009+

I met an old friend this morning, we talked about this and that just like old friends do. Then he told me that his neigbhor was in the hospital for eighteen days!

I thought, poor guy, I wonder what is wrong with him, so I asked. His answer blew me away, totally. This is what he said:

No, there is nothing wrong with him. He is taking experimental drugs as the doctors are researching how the drugs affects the body by constantly tapping his spine for fluid.

Yep! Become a human guinea pig, book yourself in for 18 days and get $8,000 for the "bother", insane !

My old friend just laughed and said a lot of people are doing it! Thank gosh I'm not hanging in THAT crowd anymore.

Article marketers, Newbies and all you other IMers, maybe it's time to put in some over-time lol :-)

While I see the value in human testing, let me tell you...I worked in the pharmaceutical business for 20 years. I have seen every phase of product creation, from R&D to final packaging.

I also know some of the chemicals that go in to these drugs. Chemicals that by themselves do things like:

- eat stainless steel like nothing
- hang in the air like a cloud making people sick
- explode when water contacts it
- explode when air contacts it

and so much more. I realize that by the time you get to the actual pill that the amount of these chemicals are TINY, I would not purposely put them into my body without good reason, or in the repeated quantity for 18 days.

I don't even like taking them when they are prescribed

So, I would definitely NOT do that for ANY amount of money.

Well...maybe a few million

Mike

[Vikuna2009+]

Originally Posted by EmmaJames

In college, some girls on my floor were desperate for
cash and sold their eggs for $3,000 to a local fertility
clinic.

I was always too afraid of needles so they couldn't talk
me into it. But most of them now wonder what happened
to their eggs and if they may in fact have children out there.

It's crazy what people will do for money...and that was
17 years ago. I'll bet they pay a heck of a lot more now.

So, I guess, when one of your former college girls is standing in line at the super market and their is this teenager that LOOKS so familiar?!? Are they forever going to wonder if that could be THEIR kid when they see a stranger that LOOKS like someone they know?

Probably...

Think before you act (might be a smart move ).

[Scott Stamper]

There's a book called "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriquez. It's his diary, and much of it takes place in a similar “guinea pig” test lab. (Great book btw)

He’s locked in this lab for 30 days and will get paid $6,000. While in there he wrote a screenplay called “El Mariachi” since he had a lot of free time and nothing else to do. When released he shot the film himself for $6,000.

That film rocketed his career and allowed him to make millions doing movies like “Spy Kids”, “Sin City”, “Grindhouse”, and now he’s about to do… get this… “The Jetsons”.

So, in theory, following the same blueprint… a marketer could have 18 days of free time to develop a product then $8,000 to launch it once he’s released.

[TLCarroll]

Scott,
I posted that above.

It's one of the legendary stories in indie moviemaking.

[Heman Patel]

Originally Posted by Jeff Williams

Wow, I clicked on this link rather quickly. I'm a little embarrassed now that I think about it ...

So, $8,000 for experimental drugs and spinal taps? I'll agree, that's pretty bad. But what's really insane is what some people will do for just $50. Makes your head spin ...

-Jeff

That's true, people in some countries sell their kidneys for less than $100.

[GeorgR.]

guys!

There are people who are in debt and for which $8000 is a LOT of money.
There are people who are so deep in debt and they have money related problems that they might even consider suicide because of those problems.

So..."risking" a body for getting $8000 is a WAY better choice than being $8000 in debt and facing being homeless or committing suicide, wouldn't you agree? For some people $8000 could solve a lot of their problems.

[bizideas]

Well I never submitted my body to research.

There was a point in college when I became really broke. Like, peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, lunch, and dinner broke! I drained all my credit cards and I really didn't want to tap my parents for any more than I already had. I decided to give blood for a few extra bucks to get me by. I eventually found another part time income but I'll never forget that woozy feeling.

How about this one:
Did you know that writer, producer, and director Robert Rodriguez did tests on the hospital bed for medical research while he wrote his first mainstream script, El Mariachi?

Now there's some determination.

Eric

[Dave Patterson]

Just saw the title and thought "Geezz...I can't seem to even give my body away lately.."

[Vikuna2009+]

Quote: "I also know some of the chemicals that go in to these drugs. Chemicals that by themselves do things like:

- eat stainless steel like nothing
- hang in the air like a cloud making people sick
- explode when water contacts it
- explode when air contacts it

and so much more. I realize that by the time you get to the actual pill that the amount of these chemicals are TINY, I would not purposely put them into my body without good reason, or in the repeated quantity for 18 days.

I don't even like taking them when they are prescribed "

Drug companies do a lot of BAD stuff.



Why is Codex Alimentarius bad? For those of you do not know, do yourself a favor and google it before it is too late (and that is SOON).

Not only experimenting with humans, now they are going to take away what is good for you!

[valerieSONORA]

I guess if you're desperate enough you'll become a guinea pig. For someone with no money $8000 is a lot. Who knows it could be a miracle medicine. Or it could kill you I've heard about people from India donating their kidneys for money for rich people instead of them on the long waiting list and they might die before they get to the top of the waiting list.

[HeySal]

Originally Posted by TimPhelan

Sal, not sure where you got your info, but the head of the FDA is a woman, is from New York and was never involved with spraying low income mothers with toxic chemicals.

He might have been the last one - When was she installed? He should be in there now -- It's info from 2007 or 8 if I remember right. Been awhile since I paid attention to it. Not sure his exact title or name any more either - might be heading a different executive area.

I actually am just taking a break from a LOT of work right now - but I'll try to remember to look it up again. Shouldn't be too hard, there was quite a bit of outrage, shortlived because he backed off for the position real fast, but caused some real activity in the "green" circles.

If you don't see me post it here in a day or two, remind me and I'll get you the info.

[Vikuna2009+]

Hi guys,

it kind of seemed like this thread died off since it was removed from the main forum. I just need to stress that you should REALLY check out (google it) Codex Alimentarius. It is a SERIOUS issue. Please do it, thank you.

[smithy100]

It went wrong about 3 years ago if you can remember. 3 people got very ill from it.