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Human Guinea Pigs Are So Unappreciated

Paul Villavisanis
/
Creative Commons
Human Guinea Pig

Do you ever think about the people who make sure the medicine you're taking is safe for you to take? If your like most of us, probably not. 

The job of a human 'lab rat' is a lot like most jobs. They get up, go to the office, do their job, and come home. The difference is they risk their mental and physical health every time they go to work and sometimes get sick from the experiment they're testing. Despite the risk, they don't get paid much and have no guarantees that their medical bills will be paid if they get sick from one of the experiments. 

Yes, they get paid. For some reason, that bothers a lot of people in ways they're not bothered by someone who donates their kidney to a stranger for free. Yet, both of these types of people take the hit so the rest of us don't have to.

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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.

Betsy started as an intern at WNPR in 2011 after earning a Master's Degree in American and Museum Studies from Trinity College. She served as the Senior Producer for 'The Colin McEnroe Show' for several years before stepping down in 2021 and returning to her previous career as a registered nurse. She still produces shows with Colin and the team when her schedule allows.

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