[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I'm not for animal testing in any way, but I also think there are huge issues with paid human testing. For things that are "almost ready for use" and are therefore extremely low risk it's less of an issue, but when it's early testing and high risk, paid testing becomes a real issue because only people who are desperate for money are likely to do it. And it's likely to be in countries where people who are desperate for money are REALLY desperate and saying "no" becomes a less valid choice... and I have some serious concerns about what that ends up looking like.

Basically, it has high potential to transition from "testing on animals" to "testing on poor people" who have used it as a last resort and that doesn't sit very well either.

Yup thats exactly what would happen. I mean, theres this thing called flu camp where they are testing flu vaccines, and from memory, it was being paid something like 3.5k for 7 days. Being injected with the flu and then the vaccines tested on you. I almost did it a few years back, but it turned out I was pregnant again so I pulled out but I am fairly sure they would not have tested on me while pregnant anyway. That kind of money for a few days of being ill just sounded amazing, I didn't really think of the risks at all as I figured..well flu is awful but...you won't die or anything. But...it depends what they were injecting me with really..I could have a bad reaction and die.

And even that, would be stuff thats already been tested and is in theory 'safe' for humans. I don't know the answer, but I do know that making it so we had to test on people would just prey on those who are struggling for money. Of course there is the knee jerk reaction of 'we can test them on prisoners who have murdered' or whatever, but there are a fair few issues with that too...we cannot sentence someone to life in prison, but tag onto that sentence that they must be available to have random drugs tested on them...its basically a version of the death penalty back!