This article was very interesting to read about because it was very similar to the blog we created about the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment except this time the suspects are prisoners and mental patients in Guatemala. These prisoners and mental patients were infected with syphilis. They were then given penicillin however; some of the researchers did not know the adequate doses of antibiotics to give the patients. Therefore, as Reverby writes “it’s unclear whether they were cured”. This study was done over 65 years ago so there is nothing we can change now. However, I do think it is good that they recognized like Collins said this is an example "of medical research being conducted on vulnerable populations in a way that is reprehensible." Also, even though I believe this is a very unethical study, it may have had to happen to help science advance and great the ethical standards and government oversight that will prevent this from happening again.
I agree with Kerry, the study was extremely unethical. It can give us a further view that U.S scientist were unethical not only in america, but also around the world.
I agree with Kerry and Rahil that the experiment was unethical because the people were intentionally infected with a deadly disease and the scientist did not even know if the penicillin was effective. The scientists took advantage of prisoners, mental patients and prostitutes. I think the point Kerry brings up that the study might have been necessary in order to advance in science and create standards is interesting. Does this suggest that unethical practices are inevitable in order to advance in science and create standards?
Gloria I think that unethical practices are inevitable because, they have been done throughout time such as the experiments with the Jewish people during World War 2, and the experiment done on African Americans during the Tuskegee time period which I recall happened in the civil rights period. It is obvious the most accurate data regarding humans has to be tested on humans and with that said I believe that further scientist enhance there studies the more they would be tempted to get accurate data, which is by using humans as their test subjects. They can either trick their subject like Tuskegee did or force them as the Nazi's did.
Although I think Rahil's first statement about unethical science being a global problem, I'm pretty sure that the study in the linked article had something to do with the same creepy guy from the Tuskegee study. This being said, it seems as though it's not that unethical and generally sketchy science is inevitable, it's just that they happen once in a while because there's some unethical and generally sketchy people out there in the field of science, just like in any other field of anything. So maybe these guys need to stop being followed blindly just because they're somehow put in charge. Why are they put in charge in the first place...?
This article was very interesting to read about because it was very similar to the blog we created about the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment except this time the suspects are prisoners and mental patients in Guatemala. These prisoners and mental patients were infected with syphilis. They were then given penicillin however; some of the researchers did not know the adequate doses of antibiotics to give the patients. Therefore, as Reverby writes “it’s unclear whether they were cured”. This study was done over 65 years ago so there is nothing we can change now. However, I do think it is good that they recognized like Collins said this is an example "of medical research being conducted on vulnerable populations in a way that is reprehensible." Also, even though I believe this is a very unethical study, it may have had to happen to help science advance and great the ethical standards and government oversight that will prevent this from happening again.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kerry, the study was extremely unethical. It can give us a further view that U.S scientist were unethical not only in america, but also around the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kerry and Rahil that the experiment was unethical because the people were intentionally infected with a deadly disease and the scientist did not even know if the penicillin was effective. The scientists took advantage of prisoners, mental patients and prostitutes. I think the point Kerry brings up that the study might have been necessary in order to advance in science and create standards is interesting. Does this suggest that unethical practices are inevitable in order to advance in science and create standards?
ReplyDeleteGloria I think that unethical practices are inevitable because, they have been done throughout time such as the experiments with the Jewish people during World War 2, and the experiment done on African Americans during the Tuskegee time period which I recall happened in the civil rights period. It is obvious the most accurate data regarding humans has to be tested on humans and with that said I believe that further scientist enhance there studies the more they would be tempted to get accurate data, which is by using humans as their test subjects. They can either trick their subject like Tuskegee did or force them as the Nazi's did.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think Rahil's first statement about unethical science being a global problem, I'm pretty sure that the study in the linked article had something to do with the same creepy guy from the Tuskegee study. This being said, it seems as though it's not that unethical and generally sketchy science is inevitable, it's just that they happen once in a while because there's some unethical and generally sketchy people out there in the field of science, just like in any other field of anything. So maybe these guys need to stop being followed blindly just because they're somehow put in charge.
ReplyDeleteWhy are they put in charge in the first place...?