Guinea Pig Zero: An Anthology of the Journal for Human Research Subjects [Paperback]

Robert Helms (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2005

From first person accounts of pharmaceutical studies gone bad to intricate medical histories, Guinea Pig Zero provides a fascinating look at the people who sell their bodies to science. While the book provides advice to present-day research subjects (by rating research clinics), the book also provides context by investigating the history and ethics behind this important, but little-known medical industry.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1996, freelance lab rat and activist Robert Helms, under the nom de plume Guinea Pig Zero, began to publish a zine with the same name; in Guinea Pig Zero: An Anthology of the Journal for Human Research Subjects, he gathers together a few dozen contributions (many of which he penned) exploring "this dark little corner of modern science from the subject's own viewpoint." From Donno's tale of going bonkers in a sleep-deprivation study, to Beth Lavoie's discussion of the various poisons to which soldiers in the Gulf War were exposed, to Helms's history of a 1935 test subject strike, these are strange and frightening stories that may make our trust in the medical establishment seem naive.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Guinea Pig Zero is a journal for and by subjects of medical testing. Editor and leading contributor Helms, who used to use Guinea Pig Zero as a pseudonym, sorts these selections into three categories. "Research Unit Report Cards" mainly profiles facilities and outlines studies, relaying the basics--who is doing what and where, the substances subjects ingest for the studies, how much a subject is paid--that human guinea pigs want to know. Some report cards include letter grades, and all name names as appropriate. Helms proudly lists lawsuits filed against GPZ for its forthright evaluations. The articles in "The Treadmill of History" consider such subjects as Alexis St. Martin, who parlayed a fortuitous gunshot wound into a guinea-pig career in the early nineteenth century. The third category is "Literature," including essays, fiction, and poetry about the human guinea pig's world. Spirited writing and quite interesting subject matter distinguish this book that can't help but broaden the scope of just about any collection. Mike Tribby
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 245 pages
• Publisher: Garrett County Press; 1 edition (February 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891053841
• ISBN-13: 978-1891053849
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,310,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars eye-opening for researchers, November 22, 2003

By 

"pedpar" (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guinea Pig Zero: An Anthology of the Journal for Human Research Subjects (Paperback)

I work in the research field with human participants (we don't say "test subjects" in my workplace), so I come at this issue from the opposite side from the author. Because of that, I wasn't sure what to expect to feel while reading this book. I felt that it was very well done, very interesting and helped me see why certain things have to be done certain ways in research. It also made me glad that we do things the way that we do in the study I work on... some of the bad experiences recounted in this book would definitely not happen where I work.
The pieces that are written from personal experience are much more interesting to read than the ones that give historical perspective. However, the latter are important reading for those who work in the research field or are considering becoming research participants. These pieces help show why we have strict laws governing research and give some perspective about why so many people fear volunteering for research.
I passed this book around my workplace, and several of my coworkers commented favorably on it.

3 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I wasn't expecting ancient history., July 18, 2004

By 

Tripichik (Northwest of Normal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guinea Pig Zero: An Anthology of the Journal for Human Research Subjects (Paperback)

The more modern essays in this book are wonderful. Theresa Dulce's "Spanish Fly Guinea Pig" contains just the sort of detail that I wanted to read about the life of a human drug tester.

However, I would have happily paid less and done without pages 64 to 145. Essays about The bombing of Guernica in 1937, studies of hepatitis in 1945, and Japanese bacteriological experiments in 1938-45 just plain didn't interest me. I suppose everyone interested in medical research should be familiar with the Nuremberg Code of Medical Ethics (1948); sorry, I wasn't. Jesse Gelsinger's tragic story was told in full on the web site where I found out about this book: why would I want to pay to read it again?

Save your money. Don't buy the book. The website has enough interesting stuff to read for free, and the extra essays that you pay for in the bound book aren't worth it.

http://www.guineapigzero.com/