The National Institute of Health will paying US$3,000 to healthy Americans willing to get sick.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is now seeking volunteers who can be infected with the flu virus. According to NIH, they will conduct this medical research to 100 people in America with the plan to identify more efficient methods to prevent and treat the illness. As a compensation, volunteers will receive $3000.

NIH infectious disease specialist Dr Matther Memoli said, “Vaccines are working but we could do better.”

To become a volunteer, the participant needs to be between ages 18 to 50 years old, doesn’t smoke, and doesn’t live within a household who has a member under five years old or older than 65 years old. Women participants who are in their childbearing age should be willing to take contraceptive methods or abstain from sex a month before the study will be conducted.

Volunteers should be in good health. All participants will be quarantined for nine days in an isolated ward where their health condition will be monitored by the research team. Before being released, quarantined volunteers need to pass the nasal test as an evidence that they are not contagious with the virus anymore.

People who already have the flu won’t be eligible for the study as the team needs to track the development of the infection in every step and see how the immune system reacts to the virus. Dr Memoli specified a dose which will develop mild to moderate symptoms.

Every year, thousands of Americans die from flue infection. The most recommended defense against this illness would be a yearly vaccine. However, it is still not ideal as it is least effective for those 65 years old and above.

According to Memoli, the institute needs to understand how young and middle-aged adults’ immune systems fight off flu. This will help the scientists in identifying what elderly people are missing. At the same time, the team will be able to develop vaccines that can be effective for everyone.