In the mid 1900s, research was conducted by the US Public Health Service and funded by the US government that involved egregious violations of human rights. The public response to these studies played a critical role in the establishment of protections for human subjects.
Read at least TWO of the attached OVERVIEW articles. Answer the following questions, and indicate which of the articles you are drawing from in your answer
https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-60205114-dt-content-rid-460899321_1/xid-460899321_1
https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-60205114-dt-content-rid-460899322_1/xid-460899322_1
You may also want to consult Wikipedia for more information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unethical_human_experimentation_in_the_United_States
1. At what point did the research that occurred at Tuskegee and/or Willowbrook become unethical and what factors made the research unethical?
2. What did the scientists who conducted each of these studies hope to find out, i.e., what was their purpose in conducting the research? Do you think that the original research questions were ethical? Why/Why not? ~100 words
3. What was the researchers’ mindset and how did their approach differ from what we expect of researchers working in medical science today? What procedures are in place now to protect human subjects? Your answer should be ~100 words
4. Now pick one of the people’s names below to read more about one of the individuals involved in either the Tuskegee, Guatemala, or Willowbrook studies (pick ONE only). Write a short paragraph from the point of view of the person you were assigned to read about. Write as if you were that individual. Introduce yourself and your role in the research. Were you in favor of conducting the research or did you object to it? Were you a victim or a perpetrator? Defend your point of view in the context of public health concerns about syphilis and hepatitis outbreaks. Your answer should be ~100 words
Remember to stay in character as you write your response: For example, if you were assigned the role of President Clinton, you should post as if you were President Clinton by saying, for example, “I, President Bill Clinton, would like to apologize to the participants…”
Role
Link to Reading
Tuskegee Study Participants
1_Last8.pdf
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1_ErnestHendon_Participant.pdf
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Eunice Rivers (Tuskegee Nurse)
2_EuniceRiversLaurie_VoicesinBioethics.pdf
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunice_Rivers_Laurie
Researchers with US Public Health Service
3_JohnCutler_USPHSResearcher.pdf
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3_TaliaferroClark_USPHSResearcher.pdf
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Parran_Jr.
Saul Krugman
(Researcher at Willowbrook)
4_SaulKrugman_Willowbrook defense.pdf
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Peter Buxtun & Susan Reverby
(Whistleblowers)
5_PeterBuxtun_Whistleblower.pdf
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5_SusanReverby_Whistleblower.pdf
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Parents of Willowbrook Children
6_Willowbrook_ParentConsent.pdf
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President Bill Clinton & President Barack Obama (Apologies)
7_Clinton_ApologyTuskegee.pdf
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7_Obama_ApologyGuatamala.pdf
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