Memo

Alexis Bucceri

Engl 4310

MWF 12-1250pm

 

 

 

Memo

 

Are you a human experiment? Close to forty years ago approximately 399 black male members of a poor Alabama community were. It was believed that the way the sexually transmitted disease syphilis affected black and white men differed. The researchers (doctors) conducting this study believed that in white men it affected them neurologically while in black men it affected their cardiovascular system.

            These doctors took it upon themselves to conduct this study on these poor men, without informing them just what was happening. These Alabama men were told there was something wrong with their blood and these doctors provided free medical treatment to help fix this problem. Most of these men had never even visited a doctor before and so free treatment to them was a blessing.

            Not once were these human experiments told of the consequences their disease would have and not only consequences on themselves but also on their spouses and children. They never knew that they were not being treated for their illness; they just appreciated the free treatment from a doctor, a doctor who should have been trustworthy.

This study was completely unethical. It completely violates ethical rights. In a community people should have concern for their neighbor, their friends. A doctor takes an oath, he is supposed to save lives, not induce death. These doctors not only lied to their patients, they caused their death and possibly the death of the patient? spouses and children.

Regardless of this medical treatment being free to these men, they still had a right to honest treatment. Every man has the right to have their basic needs met in their community. These doctors were a part of this community and so they too should have cared for their patients, their neighbor. The most unethical part of this study was that the results would not alter any of the treatments for syphilis. After the loss of these lives, the loss of trust in a community and the loss of the trust in a country there was no advance for the treatment of syphilis. The study was therefore futile.