I go to school full-time and I support myself by loans, but I was not able to get enough loans to comfortably cover all my expenses. Thus, I got myself a part-time job but it pays $9/hour and I only work about 6-10 hours a week – not exactly enough to pay the rent. All of the money I have in my account at this time must last me until the end of August, and I have some expenses coming up (i.e. $150 for a dental visit due to my lack of dental insurance and $300+ for a plane ticket to Kansas for my best friend’s wedding) that are causing me concern. So when the following flier showed up in my mailbox at school, I jumped on it:
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SUBJECTS NEEDED
TO PARTICIPATE IN A BIRD FLU (INFLUENZA A/H5N1) VACCINE STUDY
Eligible subjects are invited to participate in a research study being conducted at Baylor College of Medicine to determine reactions and antibody responses to an experimental vaccine against influenza A/H5N1 (‘bird flu’).
Study requirements:
-Healthy adults 18-49 years of age
-No known allergies to flu vaccine
-Available for study procedures for 7 months
Study procedures:
-Eight study visits
-Two vaccination visits, one month apart
-Collection of blood samples on 4 occasions
-Complete a diary of symptoms and signs for 1 week after each vaccination
Compensation: $400 for completing all procedures
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Despite the fact that I HATE getting needles stuck in me, especially when they are taking my blood OUT of me, I am going to do this because that $400 looks pretty good. And anyway, it’s for a good cause. And I’m sure there’s only a slight chance of actually contracting the bird flu.
From Katy:
My dad called me a few months ago after there was something about avian flu in the news. We were talking about who knows what? and my dad all of a sudden said he thought he had bird flu. I asked how he knew this, because it’s kind of a random thing to say. He said he had chills and fever and severe urge to crap on the hoods of passing cars.
I didn’t say it was a good joke.
From Erica:
Hm…that 400 sounds good…any chance of them having a satellite observation area in KS that I could go to? :)
From Scott:
mmmm… bird flu
From Dad:
Lovely daughter,
Your father is not entirely happy with this deliberately injecting bird flu into your system. please ask em if they’ll cure you if you develop symptoms.
From Lauren:
If you get your dental work done at the UT dental school it’s a LOT cheaper (but maybe you’ve already been by now). And, you have to put up with students – but that’s what we are too.