Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

World's Largest Medical Experiment

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the half-a-million-volunteers dept.

eldavojohn writes "Recently in the UK, a Biobank project has been rolled out to 'unpick' the genetic basis of diseases such as cancer on half a million volunteers. This is based on the success of a three-month pilot phase conducted on 3,800 participants. From the article: 'Over the next four years, blood and urine samples will be collected from volunteers aged 40 to 69, to help scientists unravel the genetic foundations of common diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and joint problems. If you live in the UK, agreeing to this survey may involve a little more than you would expect."

11 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. What they really need to get this rolling...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is a couple of scantilly clad nurses. Then they can collect DNA too.

    1. Re:What they really need to get this rolling...... by 2.7182 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think such a study would be seminal work in this area....

  2. The military did invent it. by krell · · Score: 2, Funny

    "AIDS can result from being infected with the HIV virus. And I don't think the military invented it. It's been recently shown to have definitely come from monkeys, probably in the 1930's."

    Both are true: the military invented it and it came from monkeys. One on the same.

    --
    Where were you when the voynix came?
  3. Re:But.. by zippthorne · · Score: 2, Funny

    World of Warcraft on the other hand is pure genius!

    --
    Can you be Even More Awesome?!
  4. The largest experiment that we know about... by BigZaphod · · Score: 4, Funny

    What about all the fluoride in the water? It's a conspiracy... a secret experiment that's been conducted for a generation. Who knows what effects that has on us? It might be turning us all into communist spies. Perhaps we'll all wake up one day under the influence of a massive KGB mind control beam. Anything could happen! We must protect our precious bodily fluids at all costs!

    --
    Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch
    1. Re:The largest experiment that we know about... by bdonalds · · Score: 2, Funny

      Please watch this movie. We will all be better for it.

      --
      The most important thing to do in your life is to not interfere with somebody else's life. -FZ
  5. Fine by FreeUser · · Score: 4, Funny

    We need people to die..

    Fine. You first.

    --
    The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
  6. Why bother with volunteers? by RubberBaron · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...blood and urine samples will be collected from volunteers...

    Just go down to any chav-infested town centre on a Friday or Saturday night. Plenty of blood and urine around then...

  7. Non-UK residents... by Goodgerster · · Score: 2, Funny

    Of course, if you live anywhere other than the UK, you'll find it involves far more than you'd expect.

  8. Re:What? by Dhalka226 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Would the submitter care to enlighten us on how the survey involves more than we would expect?

    NO! Then you would expect it!!!

  9. Re:But.. by P3NIS_CLEAVER · · Score: 2, Funny

    If people stop consuming they will go back to fucking.....

    --
    Please sign petition to restore sanity to our banking system!!!

    http://financialpetition.org/