So You Want to Be a Human Lab Rat? Quiz

Answer: Manufacturing companies

Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals need humans to try their drugs to see if the drugs are effective. Other manufacturers sometimes need people to try their products. A safety shoe manufacturer, for example, may wish to develop a new kind of shoe for construction workers. They might pay some construction workers to try their shoe for a period of time and provide feedback.
If you are looking to work for a mad scientist, I am afraid they are few and far between these days. Look for my upcoming "So You Want to Be a Mad Scientist" quiz for more information about this profession.

Answer: Consent form

In the US, universities that wish to conduct experiments on humans must obtain a signed consent form from each subject. The consent form outlines what procedures and tests the subject will or may undergo, how long the test will take, possible dangers, the compensation rate, how to contact the Institutional Review Board that oversees the university's testing, and includes a clear statement that the subject gives his or her informed consent to be part of the experiment.

Answer: 10,000,000

Statistically, 1 in 30 Americans takes part in scientific experiments as human lab rats each year. The next time you are in a room with 29 other people, look around. If everyone else looks normal, you could be the one who is undergoing scientific experimentation without your knowledge.

In actuality, although 10,000,000 people are needed each year, some human lab rats participate in more than one experiment during the year.

Answer: Incoherent babbling

Upon receiving the drug several of the volunteer human lab rats experienced vomiting, intense pain and loss of consciousness. One later lost fingers and toes while another is now showing signs of cancer. Think about that the next time you think you have had a bad day at work.

Answer: All of these

The non-scientific member could be from any profession that is not based on science. Even someone who is unemployed could fill that post (unless they were an unemployed scientist.) Any given academic institution could report to more than one IRB. Private companies do not have to report to an IRB.

Answer: Fair and equitable selection of subjects

The fair and equitable selection of subjects provision is to prevent the burden of being test subjects from falling on the poor and disadvantaged. The two other ethical principles required by the Belmont Report are showing respect for persons and beneficience. Beneficience entails minimizing risks and conducting a risk/benefit analysis.
If you want bonus pay for extra pain you will have to negotiate that with the researcher. That should be done beforehand.

Answer: Medical experiments

Medical experiments are riskier as evidenced by what happened in the arthritis and leukemia drug experiment mentioned earlier. Medical experiments are also more important than some of the other types of experiments because finding a new, effective drug can immediately help people who are suffering. Finally, medical experiments are generally conducted by drug manufacturers who have an economic incentive to get their drug on the market. Medical experiments pay more, on average, for all these reasons with $20.00 US per hour being a common rate.

The other types of experiments pay around $10.00 US per hour. Sleep studies pay the least on an hourly basis because, frankly, you generally sleep through them.

Answer: All of these

These and hundreds of other studies are carried out by Universities and Institutes. In order to find out about studies you could volunteer for check with your local educational institution or research hospital. WebMD lists medical studies and trials needing subjects.

Another source is www.gpgp.net. This website acts as a worldwide clearinghouse for researchers looking for human subjects. GPGP stands for "Guinea Pigs Get Paid." I did not make that up.

Answer: Neither the researcher nor the subject knows who received the real drug

A placebo is a "sugar pill" or a pill with no medication in it. In a double blind test, only the person in charge of the test knows which group gets the real drug. Since neither the subjects nor the persons distributing the pills know, there is very little chance either group could skew the results in favor of the real drug.

A double blind test should be more accurate in determining whether a drug is effective. If the drug is effective, the group that received placebos is usually given the drug for free.

Answer: Department of Health and Human Services

The Office of Human Studies Research looks out for human lab rats. One of the areas they have special rules for are experiments that use as subjects persons of diminished autonomy. A person of diminished autonomy is one who is somewhat controlled by others or is prevented from acting on their own. Prisoners, children, and persons with mental disabilities fall under this description.

These persons merit special protection if they are to be involved in experimentation.