“Michiganians mine bodies for cash to make ends meet”

Yup. This, according to the Detroit News, is what it’s come to. Here’s a clip:

…Fetzner is among those realizing that, in these tough times, the body isn’t just a temple. It can be a gold mine…

A few weeks ago, it was a story on people in Detroit eating trash-fattened raccoon, and now we get this article informing people how to go about selling their hair, eggs and blood plasma to make ends meet. One wonders what’s next. A video tutorial on how to get started as a prostitute, maybe? Or, perhaps, an editorial on why we should be allowed to sell organs, like eyes and kidneys, that we we have more than one of… Here’s more from the article:

…As Michigan’s economy continues to suffer, people are offering themselves up as medical guinea pigs for a quick buck to make ends meet. Some are selling plasma, others their hair for hundreds on the Internet, while others take the more extreme road by wanting to sell their eggs or participate in medical studies in exchange for payment and free medical exams…

Meanwhile, donations of plasma — the clear liquid portion of the blood used to treat conditions such as trauma and burns — have also climbed from 10 million nationwide in 2005 to more than 17.5 million last year, said Kara Flynn, director of global communications with Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association in Annapolis, Md.

The increase is partially based on the opening of 60 plasma clinics in that time, but the economy is also a factor, she said. There are a dozen plasma centers throughout Michigan.

Keith Parker, 40, said the $50 he receives weekly at an Oak Park plasma center helps cover his daily necessities: bus fair, water at work and cigarettes. The extra cash has also allowed the Mount Clemens homeless man to save for a house. He makes $250 a week restoring Detroit homes damaged in fires.

“That plasma has really been helping out,” said Parker, noting the additional money paid for his cell phone that enabled him to find a job. “With so many people losing work, I would be more surprised if they didn’t donate plasma. It’s like free money, and it’s for a good cause.”

While local plasma centers are hesitant to talk about the profit potential tied to giving plasma, it’s clearly part of their marketing efforts. For example, IBR Plasma Center in Ypsilanti promotes plasma donation as an “excellent way to earn a little extra money. You could earn up to $200 a month helping to save someone’s life every time you donate”…

One day, if you’re good, I’ll ride my bike up to IBR and take some photos for you. You’d be amazed at the joy on peoples’ faces as they line up in the cold to “save someone’s life” for 20 bucks and a stale cookie.

And, no, I’m not suggesting that people shouldn’t be allowed to sell their plasma. And, no, I’m not saying that such facilities don’t have the rite to exist. I just find the whole thing so horribly depressing. People shouldn’t have to live like that. They just shouldn’t.