Any details on how to sign up for the trial? I'd do it.

Kate, you can find out more information and sign up by calling this number: 410-706-6156. Have you been in a trial before? What about this one interests you?

I told my husband I would volunteer. He told me it didn't sound like a good idea to him. But I would not sign up my kids. That, to me, is too scary.

I have volunteered for a few vaccine studies previously and they generally pay in the 1500 dollar range over the course of 6 months or so - more or less depending on the risk factors involved (side effects). You have to go in for a ton of blood work and checkups, take your temperature 3x daily for a while, that sort of thing. It's not a bad deal if your schedule allows it.

You weigh out the risks and the benefits. Risk-possible side effect-that may include fever, nausea, rare-allergic reaction. I'm not allergic to egg so I would definitely volunteer to do it. It is better to get the a small dose of a virus, have my immune system fight it and get immunity, than get the virus and risk death. Yes, I would put my children in it. Same goes for them, even more so as they have a higher rate of mortality to swine flu.

Thanks for the info, Kelly. I've never participated in a study before, but have been meaning to check one out since I live and work downtown, it would be pretty easy. I could use a little extra cash, plus, I think it would be a neat experience. This one is particularly interesting because I'm pretty facsincated by the Swine Flu frenzy and I am curious about what's going to happen in the fall. I wouldn't mind being protected against it, because I'd otherwise have a hard time getting a vaccine, and I know that as the 25 year old single girl, I'm going to get stuck covering for everyone else in my office if schools start closing, etc.

Before Diana puts herself and her children in the study, wouldn't a bit more information be in order? Like, is the experimental vaccine hypothesized to be effective against future strains of the virus or just the current strain?

Was the use of the experimental vaccine approved by the FDA for use on children? Does the research pose a greater than minimal risk? What additional safeguards are in place to protect children?

Joe: The vaccine would still need to be approved by the FDA once the trial is completed, here's more info : http://tr.im/tJRT. But you raise some really good questions about testing in children. I hope to follow up on that soon.

Curious: This vaccine would only guard against this swine flu, just as new vaccines are greated for seasonal flu.

Kate: That's really interesting. I'd be interested in following up with you if you end up volunteering. Keep me posted @ kelly.brewington@baltsun.com. Also, you can also find out more info here: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.

I am a medical student at University of Maryland and I would definitely enroll in the trial and enroll my daughter if time allowed. The swine flu vaccine will be made the exact same way the seasonal flu vaccine is made. So it's a killed virus that's injected. Totally safe.

We'll all be at pretty high risk of getting the flu this year if this strain is still around, so even if the antigenicity isn't perfect for the test vaccine, it would be better to have some immunity to these strains that most of us have never encountered before.

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Sounds like it's purely volunteer here. The lead is a misleading since they don't appear to have volunteers yet. The doc in charge of the study seems to think they'll easily attract volunteers, but I'm also curious about children's (parental) participation. Despite the safety reassurances, the "neurological side effects" from the '70s vaccine makes me a little nervous.