Baylor - Antone Opekun of the Baylor College of Medicine is conducting a medical study at the DeBakey V.A. Medical Center in Houston, Texas, asking research participants to voluntarily get sick. The volunteers are taking part in a study of the norovirus, which causes diarrhea and vomiting, and the effectiveness of a new vaccine that researchers hope will prevent diarrhea. Participant Ladarrius Ambers said, “I felt that I was doing a good service.” Study patients get paid almost $1,000, but must drink the virus and spend a week in the hospital. Half will get the vaccine and the other half will get a placebo. The study results will bring researchers closer to finding a vaccine. But Dr. Robert Atmar, also working on the study for Baylor said, “We’re still several years away from having a vaccine that’s going to be available to the public.”

 

Look I’m almost 26.  Some people refer to that as an “adult.”  But if you think I don’t still fully appreciate the college lifestyle than you’re out of your mind.  Broke, lazy,  always looking for beer money and an excuse to ditch out of responsibilities   Basically how I still live my life to this day, for better or for worse.  So if you’re telling me somebody is offering me $1K to chug a norovirus with a 50/50 shot of me getting the flu I’ll be the first one in line with my hand out and mouth open.  Fuck it I’d do it for a 100% shot of being sick.  How long’s that last?  Like 3 days?  3 days of toughing out a little sore throat and headache for a fat payday.  Yes please.   And you’re under hospital supervision so I’m sure they’re hooking you up with the best pain meds they got.  Easy decision.

Plus when you’re in college being sick with a doctor’s note to back you up is probably the best thing that could ever happen to you.  Excuse to lie around all day not going outside watching TV, crushing soup and Gatorade, cruising the internet.    And yeah the part about having diarrhea kind of sucks but you know what’s worse than having diarrhea?  Not having 1000 bucks.  That’s what’s worse.