The purpose of this paper is to inform the public more about experiments that are performed on people using radiation. The document`s main stakeholders who might be interested are the government officials, policy makers and the public for sure as it acts as a revealing document for the citizens.
After mentioning the publication information, the summary takes you to the history of the Advisory Committee. It illustrates how the circumstances created the need for creating a professional independent entity in 1995 under Bill Clinton`s watch (Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments 1), to start investigating and analyzing research acts made on people, whether in the past or during present times. Also, the structure of the committee and who does it cooperate with was explained, so the reader can actually have an overview and understand how the committee works.
In the President`s charge section. The committee`s exact objective and mission were stated in the form of a presidential charge; Examining regulations and policies regarding researches on humans, investigating in previous unethical researches performed between 1944 and 1974 (Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments 171) as well as intentional radioactive releases. This section also highlighted the wide span of freedom, privileges and authority that was given to the committee to perform its duties.
Later on, the paper discussed the committee`s approach; how it works to achieve its objective, what are the kind of obstacles did they face and a brief about the outcome of the results of their preliminary investigations. One of the most important obstacles that the committee faced was the incomplete data needed to perform the investigation needed even after disclosure and making them available for the committee.
Moving on to the Historical Context section, it began to narrate in details about the evolution of radiation experiments, how it all started during World War 2 and continued after the end of the Cold War. It also explained how the ethical side of the experiments on humans became very clear as the conflict between advancement of science and humanitarian rights emerged. Adding this part of the summary to the before the key findings section (upcoming one), is really strategic as it gives the reader a historical brief and circumstances that lead to the key findings.
The key findings section comes after which reveals human radiation experiments that were being made on people without informing them frankly about the risks involved and releasing radioactive materials intentionally and secretly into the environment to study its effects. The uranium miners’ case had its share too, where a lot of minors were diagnosed with lung cancer.
Last but not least, the summary tackles the recommendations made by the committee as a result of their investigations (Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments 801). The most important ones were personal apologies and compensations for civilians, who were harmed from those experiments in general and the uranium miners in specific. Balancing between national security and the public trust by revising research policies to avoid going through the same mistakes again were among the recommendations too.
The summary was closed by sharing with the readers the “next step” for the committee which can be summed up by keeping the public informed about human radiation experiments as well as delivering the outcome of the committee for an interagency working group review in order to take actions accordingly.
Work Cited:
Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments. Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments Report. Washington DC: Joseph Henry Press, 1995, print.
