The Belmont Report - Tuskegee Syphilis Study
Introduction
Human subjects’ protection system is the protocol used by researchers to enable ethical practices when studies are conducted related to sensitive information regarding health, socio-cultural orientation; socio-economic status; sexual conduct and finances, among some others, which are distinct to certain social structures and circumstances.
Essentially, these are guidelines protecting subjects from exploitation. Also, researchers can eliminate lawsuits if legislated outlines by the Belmont Report are given adherence. However, prior to passage of the National Research Act in 1974, violations to human subjects’ right pertaining to informed consent and misrepresentations of the truth were rampant. (Institutional review board). The Tuskegee Syphilis study is one such investigation whereby there is perceived violation of human protection.
Brief Discussion of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study
This study was conducted between 1932 -1972 in the United States from Tuskegee University, Alabama. The experiment entailed withdrawing specimens of blood from poor black men under the disguise of rendering free syphilis treatment. In fact researchers were studying the progression of untreated syphilis. (Jones, 1981).
A total of 600 underprivileged black American males from Macon Country enrolled in the program.399 had already contracted the disease while 201 were non-syphilitic subjects. Their participation in the study allowed them to have free medical services, meals and burial insurance. The real purpose of this study was not revealed to the subjects; their true health status regarding contracting syphilis was never disclosed to them and the researchers did not treat their signs/symptoms neither the disease condition. (Jones, 1981).
Further, it is believed that this study was extended to Guatemala with the cooperation of Public Heath Authorities. After penicillin was discovered it was revealed from 2010 disclosure that a total of 696 prisoners, military persons and psychiatric patients were deliberately biologically infected with syphilis and then treated with penicillin. This occurred during 1946 and 1948. (Smith, 2010).
Ethical Violations - The Belmont Report
The Belmont report advances three basic principles pertaining to Human subjects’ protection protocol, which were obvious violations in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. These ascribed to respect for persons; execution of beneficence and applications of justice. Actually, they have defined boundaries regarding practice and research. With practice the intention must be beneficial outcomes for subjects. Research is adopting distinct scientific methods of the discipline practiced. (Institutional review board)
Tuskegee syphilis study violated all three principles. Respect for the subjects’ dignity as an ethnical standard was greatly compromised. They never consented to the truth of this study because it was fabricated to get their cooperation. This can be considered forgery and professional malpractice as it pertains to the morality of research methodology. (Institutional review board)
Precisely, the outcome as it relates to execution of beneficence was totally obscured. Men were allowed to die even after penicillin was discovered. Prior to commencement of the study these 600 subjects were told that they would receive free treatment for syphilis when the researchers wanted to find out the progression of the disease. So they knew that they were not going to offer subjects what they promised. Subsequently, the outcome would not benefit them neither their families even though the study benefited the scientific world. (Institutional review board)
Consequently, the infringements on justice are equally violated. How fair was the selection? Why they had to be poor African Americans from impoverished communities. Really, it is exploitation distinct from abuse of their ethnicity and socio-economic predisposition. There was also a gender bias as well. (Institutional review board)
Conclusion
This report highlights research practices conducted between 1932 -1972 by an American Tuskegee University research team regarding the progression and cure of syphilis. Subjects’ choices were minority black men in Alabama along with disadvantaged groups in Guatemala. The research practices were proven unethical from Belmont report standards.
References
Institutional review board guidebook. Retrieved (2011, June 2) from http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/archive/irb/irb_introduction.htm
Jones J (1981). Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. New York: Free Press.
Smith, S. (2010, October 2). Wellesley professor unearths a horror: Syphilis experiments in
Guatemala. US apologize for performing unethical study in 1940s. Boston. Com,
Retrieved from http://articles.boston.com/2010-10- 02/news/29290885_1_reprehensible- research-susan-m-reverby-syphilis-experiments.
