I think everyone knows someone who has taken part in lab experiments or some weird medical thing to make a few bucks. I remember seeing advertisements in college for these all the time, from trying out new medications to taking part in sleep studies. Well, a few people over in England decided to take part in a new drug trial, and the results were not so good.

All 6 people who took the anti-inflammatory drug became seriously ill within a few hours and all ended up in critical condition in the hospital (where 2 remain, while 4 others are now just in "serious" condition). One observer said "They began tearing their shirts off complaining of fever, then some screamed out that their heads felt like they were going to explode." One of the patient's family members said his face became so swollen that he looked like the elephant man. Two other people in the study were given placebos. I'm sure they're feeling pretty lucky right about now.

So just remember this little story next time you're considering making a few quick bucks by doing some weird medical test. You might get more than you bargained for.

This entry was posted by Brad, on Thursday, March 16, 2006. You can leave your response.