# Would you let yourself be exposed to the flu for $3500? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 10, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834 "2018-06-10T18:49:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/1 "2018-06-10T18:49:14Z")
Might not be too bad if you were given the flu shot. It would suck getting the placebo. They are offering a very nice place to stay and $3500. It does require 10 days. $350 a day for your work. Would you do it? I assume this might appeal to a broke Grad student. They will have nurses treating the volunteers. It should be safe. [University will pay you $3,500 to get the flu and book you a 10-day stay at 'Hotel Influenza' | Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/06/07/university-will-pay-3500-to-get-flu-and-book-10-day-stay-at-hotel-influenza.html) > [@](#): > > University researchers are hoping that $3,500 will convince enough people to risk possibly suffering through a bout of diarrhea, fever, body aches and other flu symptoms in the name of science. The pitch is for volunteers to willingly expose themselves to the influenza virus after receiving either the flu vaccine or a placebo, in hopes that the results will lead to a better understanding of the illness. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/2 "2018-06-10T18:59:39Z")
Yes, I’d give it a shot (pun intended). Any ill effects, if not getting the placebo, would be over soon enough. These days though, I’m still not sure what they mean by “flu.” Growing up nausea and vomiting were definite characteristics, but these days it seems to be what we called a cold, with sneezing and coughing. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/3 "2018-06-10T19:00:33Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/4 "2018-06-10T19:01:20Z")
Sure. I’m certain that I am exposed to the flu virus all the time and it hasn’t bothered me. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/5 "2018-06-10T19:01:33Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > These days though, I’m still not sure what they mean by “flu.” Growing up nausea and vomiting were definite characteristics, but these days it seems to be what we called a cold, with sneezing and coughing. Same here. Growing up the flu meant nausea and vomiting. Now the flu means body aches, a dry cough and trouble breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/6 "2018-06-10T19:02:40Z")
Yep. We really need the money. That’s all it boils down to. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/7 "2018-06-10T19:04:56Z")
Sure. My main concern is not the flu, but getting 10 days off from my regular work job. I might not have enough PTO for it. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/8 "2018-06-10T19:22:09Z")
NO! I get the flu shot every year, but I’ve had two miserable flu experiences, one of which reduced me to crawling like a baby to get up the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/9 "2018-06-10T19:23:54Z")
We need a poll. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/10 "2018-06-10T19:29:07Z")
Do I have to pay to get myself to St. Louis? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/11 "2018-06-10T19:53:58Z")
I’m seriously intrigued and want to apply for this. > [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Do I have to pay to get myself to St. Louis? The $3,500 is compensation for “time and travel,” per the secondary link, so I assume your airfare eats part of it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/12 "2018-06-10T19:55:18Z")
Does the article say when exactly this happens? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/13 "2018-06-10T20:07:50Z")
While “getting the stomach flu” is some weird way of describing a sickness that has nothing to do with the flu, I’m baffled by the posters who think that influenza is sorta like a cold. I’ve had the flu twice, and it is clearly an illness where people can legitimately think, “If this gets much worse, I may have to go to the hospital… wait… that means that this shit could kill me!” Colds don’t do that. Now the odds are quite good that people will simply be thoroughly miserable and spend a week with barely the physical strength to go to the bathroom or get a sandwich from the fridge. But they would also be making an incredibly important contribution to science, that could well be responsible for saving many many millions of lives. So far be it from me to discourage anyone from stepping forward… but my price would be a lot higher. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/14 "2018-06-10T21:06:53Z")
Keep in mind that influenza is NOT a trivial illness. The CDC estimates that US influenza-related deaths were as low as 12,000 people (during 2011-2012 flu season) to a high of 56,000 people (during 2012-2013 flu season). And quite often it’s the people with so-called ‘strong’ immune systems that fare the worst, due to their own immune system’s over-reaction to the virus. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/15 "2018-06-10T21:34:57Z")
If I was strapped for cash, unemployed, and already in good health, yes. One of my friends did exactly that under the same circumstances. The money went towards car repair costs and back rent. He didn’t get the placebo, so it sucked some, but it all worked out. Turns out it’s a whole lot easier to put up with being sick when you’re actually getting paid good money for it and know what you’re in for. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/16 "2018-06-10T21:38:34Z")
Qadgop, would you say that a typical person with no chronic conditions would have an extremely high chance of survival from the flu virus when given immediate medical care and care throughout the illness? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/17 "2018-06-10T21:39:34Z")
For science? I’d do it for free. I’d hate to think I’d passively obstruct research for a measly $3,500. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/18 "2018-06-10T22:01:57Z")
My first thought it sure I’ll do it that sounds like a deal but the 10 days away from work and my family and im going to need more cash probably closer 10k ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/19 "2018-06-10T22:09:37Z")
Even if I were willing, I wouldn’t be accepted into the study for the same reason I wouldn’t want to do it - I have respiratory issues, and have been hospitalized due to the flu in the past. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834/20 "2018-06-10T22:51:03Z")
If I had vacation days or there was a critical need I might, but $350 a day is not gonna do it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-let-yourself-be-exposed-to-the-flu-for-3500/815834.md?page=2)