One of the advantages of living in the same town as one of the
largest medical research facilities in the South, is that you can supplement your income by participating in experiments.
For the last two years I have participated in a depression study that involved free drugs and some much needed analysis of my dementia. Not only do I receive drugs, but I get money for the measly two and a half hours that I spend one Friday out of every three months. Glory be! In addition, there are little side experiments that one can participate in to get a little quick cash. At one point I got 25 dollars for giving them a little blood. I got 50 once for giving them a tissue sample. Each time I would come in, fill out a small form so they know where to send my money, give 'em what they need and be out the door.
Upon my most recent visit I was asked if I would mind giving blood for 15 dollars cash. Not afraid of needles and never one to turn down cash, I accepted. I expected my short form and to be done with it, but this time I got a 5 page CONTRACT! I was a little put off, but decided to hell with it and started to read. As I skimmed about halfway through the packet, my eye was caught by these lines,
"The sample will be used to produce a DNA that will be kept permanently for future studies, including those that may be unrelated to depression. This means that an inexhaustible supply of you genetic material (DNA) will be available for genetic research. As a participant in this study, you relinquish all ownership rights to tissue samples, DNA, and other materials extracted from those tissues."
That's pretty heavy. My DNA will live in a plastic dish somewhere for eons, a slave to the twisted whims of genetic scientists! An army of me, super soldiers bringing about a New World Order. My legacy to be a puppet of researchers! I thought long and hard, which took about a minute and a half and promptly signed my name at the end of the form.
I mean shit, it's 15 bucks!