Anything for a Buck

I've always liked doing research, finding things out, digging around for information - stuff like that. I remember about 15 years ago while working at a medical insurance company, I was intrigued to learn that the medical director had been part of a medical research study for Johns Hopkins for 10 or 15 years. I didn't know people actually signed up to be experimented on. Fast forward to yesterday when I got an email from PTA mom-friend stating that local doctor's office is doing research on a new supplier for the flu shot and you could actually make money if you volunteered and were selected to participate. I called. I qualified. I get it next week. It involves three office visits with a physical and blood work each time, some temperature logging and side-effect reporting along with a phone call or two. The final appointment will be at the end of flu season. You get paid each time you have an office visit. Cool.

This is actually not the first study I've been in. Brainy Boy and I just finished a six-month study run by the Psychology Department at the local university looking at how a mother's mood affects the mood of the child. That paid too.

For me the money was a perk, not really the incentive--I think it's interesting to participate and I get a shot that I might have gotten anyway. But I wonder if people actually do this for a living? I know I've heard of people selling their blood by the pint, but I've generally heard of that in connection with supporting unscrupulous habits. I'm not supporting any habit (even a shopping habit)--I'm just gonna help pay for that deer mount that will be delivered in the spring.