Tuskegee Syphilis Study Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Tuskegee Syphilis Study?
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is one of the most infamous medical experiments in American history. It was a study conducted from 1932-1972 by the United States Public Health Service that looked at the natural progression of untreated syphilis in 600 African American males from Macon County, Alabama. The study was conducted without their informed consent, and the men were misled about their treatment, with many believing they were receiving free healthcare when in reality they were subjects of a research study. The goal of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study was to observe how long it would take for syphilis to progress and run its course without being treated, something that had never been done before. To do this, researchers deliberately did not provide penicillin or any other form of treatment to those infected with syphilis, even though penicillin had become widely available as an effective treatment for the disease by 1947. They also kept participants from seeking out care elsewhere by telling them that free health care services were only available through their participation in the study. The unethical nature of this experiment caused significant harm to those involved and led to lasting effects on public trust in science and medicine. The lack of informed consent as well as withholding medical treatment resulted in severe physical and psychological harm for participants including death due to complications associated with syphilis or related conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. In addition to these negative outcomes, public outcry over the Tuskegee Syphilis Study further deepened existing mistrust between African Americans and medical institutions which persists today. In 1997 President Bill Clinton issued an apology on behalf of the United States government for conducting such an experiment without proper informed consent or ethical oversight. The legacy left behind by this event serves as a reminder that human rights must always be respected regardless if studies are conducted by government entities or private companies; all experiments must be conducted ethically ensuring that human welfare is always put first.