We’re going to turn next to some of the extreme measures that some Americans are taking because of the faltering economy. According to an ABC News poll, more than one in four people say someone in their household has been fired, faced a cut in pay or a reduction in work hours. Facing mounting debts and dwindling finances, some people are deciding to put their bodies at risk. Here’s Gigi Stone.
Maria Finkbeiner could not find a job. Her home was entering foreclosure. That’s when she spotted an ad seeking volunteers willing to take experimental prescription drugs for pay. “When I first heard about it, I thought, “Little crazy. Why would... why would someone want to go take some medication that’s not even on the market?”
When Finkbeiner, a perfectly healthy mother of two, met the criteria of a clinical medical trial near her home in Michigan, she signed up. “It’s like you’re being a guinea pig. You’re... you’re taking medications that they’re testing on people.” In just two weeks, she had earned nearly $3000. It would’ve taken her six weeks to earn that in her old job.
The number of people coming to facilities like this one is growing. They’re here to loan their bodies to science for a fee. The research helps determine which drug dosages are safe for consumers. “During these challenging economic times, people are resorting to extraordinary and, some might characterize it as, extreme means in order to generate income, participating in clinical trials that can have serious consequences for your health down the road.”
The director of a website offering information about clinical trials is seeing 30% more inquiries in the past year. Some fertility clinics are also reporting a significant rise in the number of women inquiring about becoming egg donors or surrogate mothers. Charlene Clymore says if it wasn’t for the $25,000 she’s making as a surrogate mother, her two children would be in a devastating situation. “We would lose our cars. We would lose our roof over our head.”
These are extreme measures people are taking to make money, but they’re perfectly legal. And though medical experiments are supervised by licensed professionals, there are risks; risks that more Americans are willing to take to survive these difficult times. Gigi Stone, ABC News, Edwardsburg, Michigan.
falter : 움찔하다, 망설이다. 말을 더듬다, 우물거리다, 비틀거리다, 주춤하다 /1. to stop being effective or making progress: ex. Peace talks have faltered. 2. to stop doing something because you have lost your confidence or determination: ex. His courage faltered. 그는 기가 죽었다 ex. She faltered in her speech. 그녀는 머뭇거리며(더듬거리며) 말했다 3. if someone's steps falter, they stop walking * faltering 움찔하는, 망설이는, 비틀거리는, 주춤하는 /becoming less effective and successful ex. the faltering peace process household : 가구, 세대, 가구의, 가정용의 mount : (산 계단 등을) 오르다, (단상 말 등에) 오르다, ~ 을 (높 은 곳에) 두다, 올려놓다, ~ 에 (화기 등을) 탑재하다, (공격을) 개시하다, (수량 정도 비용 등이) 오르다, 늘다 * mounted 말 탄, 설치한, 붙박은, (보석 등이) 끼워 박은 ex. mounted police 기마 경찰 / ex. a ship mounted with six cannons 6 문의 포를 탑재한 배 /ex. mount an attack on ~ ex. Prices are mounting up steadily. 물가가 계속 올라만 간다. ex. Tension continues to mount between the two parties. dwindle : 점차 감소하다, 점점 작아 [적어]지다 put ~ at risk : ~ 를 ... 의 위험에 빠뜨리다 * at risk : 위태로운 foreclosure : 담보물을 찾을 권리의 상실, 유질 처분 * foreclose : <저당권 설정자에게> 저당물을 찾아갈 권리를 잃게 하 다, vt.vi. <저당물을> 유질 (流質) 처분하다 ex. The bank was threatening to foreclose on his mortgage. spot : 얼룩, 반점, (비유) 오점, 흠, 오명, (특정) 장소, 지점, 더럽히 다, 때를 묻히다, 발견하다 * hot spot : 분쟁 지역, 도박장, 유흥가 ex. In the 1960's, Vietnam became a hot spot. 베트남은 1960년대에 분쟁 지역이 되었다. * hit the spot : A glass of hot water would hit the spot. 따뜻한 물 한 잔 마 시면 아주 좋겠는데. experimental : 실험의, 실험에 의한, 실험적인 prescription drug : 처방약 (의사의 처방전이 필요한 약) ↔ over- the-counter drug (= nonprescription drug) 처방전없이 살 수 있는 약 * Do you have a prescription? 처방전 가져 왔습니까? * Will you fill this prescription, please. 이 약 좀 지어 주세요. * prescription : 처방, 처방약, 명령 [지시, 규정] 하는 일, 규정, 규칙, 법규 ( prescribe : 명령하다, 지시하다 (order), 규정하다, 처방하다) criteria : (criterion의 복수형) (판단.비판의) 표준, 규범, 척도, 기 준 clinical medical trial : 임상의학실험 clinical trial : 임상실험 (clinical test) sign up : 가입하다 ex. She's decided to sign up for music school. 뮤직스쿨에 등록하기로 결정했다. ex. Did you sign up for a computer class? 컴퓨터 강좌에 신청하셨어요? guinea pig : 기니피그, 피실험자 (someone who is used in an experiment) ex. The prisoners were used as guinea pigs by their government. dosage : 투약, 조제, 1회분의 투약[복용]량 resort : (보통 달갑지 않은 수단에) 호소하다, 도움을 청하다 (to), 수단 * as a last resort 최후의 수단으로서 ex. I think we can solve this problem without resorting to legal action. extraordinary : 비상한, 보통이 아닌, 비범한, 놀라운, 엄청난 characterize : 1. ~을... 으로 묘사하다, 기술하다, (…으 로) 간주하다 2. 특징 지우다 ex. The military is usually characterized as being very conservative. 매우 보수적인 것으로 여겨진다. ex. The 1980s were characterized by high inflation and high unemployment. 고인플레와 고실업으로 특징지 워졌다. down the road : 장래에 / used for talking about the future and what may happen ex. Two years down the road, you might feel very differently. ex. It's a decision that may well have an impact further down the road. * one for the road : an alcoholic drink that you have quickly before you leave a place / ex. Let's have one for the road. inquiry : 탐구, 연구, 조사, 질문, 심문 ex. make inquiries into[about] the matter 그 일을 조사하다. ex. on[Upon] inquiry, I learned that she was out. 문의해보고서, 그녀가 부 재중임을 알았다. * inquire : ~에게 문의하다 fertility clinic : 불임클리닉 surrogate : 대행자, 대리의, ~의 대리 노릇을 하다 * surrogate mother 대리모 devastate : ~ 을 유린하다, 황폐시키다, (사람을) 압도하다, 망연 자실케 하다 * devastated : 1. completely destroyed, 2. very shocked and upset ex. devastated villages / ex. She was utterly devastated when her husband died. * devastating : 파괴적인 , 황폐시키는 , 충격적인 , 끔찍한 , 지독한 ( very shocking or upsetting) ex. a devastating fire/storm/flood / ex. It is always devastating to be diagnosed with a terminal illness. have a[no] roof over one's head : 거처할 집이 있다[없다] ex. Because he got divorced, he had nothing, even had no roof over his head. survive : 1.~ 보다 오래살다, ~ 에서 살아남다. 2. ~ 을 견디어 내 다, 극복하다 ( to manage to deal with something difficult or unpleasant) ex. Just eight passengers survived the plane crash. ex. Of all the museum's paintings, only one survived the fire. ex. I don't know how I ever survived school. ex. Santos is survived by his wife and two sons.