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Research is one of the central sources of information in any science as it provides relevant and credible data about particular processes that could later be used in their discussion. Regarding the healthcare sector, numerous investigations are also crucial as their help to analyze diverse diseases and find treatment for them. However, it is essential to adhere to the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association for research with human participants to ensure that no rights will be violated and no harm will be done to the health of patients.
Nevertheless, the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment is one of those where the above-mentioned principles were completely ignored. The study started in 1929 when USPHS investigated the high incidence of syphilis in the rural areas of the South of the USA and possibilities for its mass treatment (Baker, Brawley, & Marks, 2005). The disease was associated with race. For this reason, Tuskegee was chosen as 82% of its residents were African-Americans, and a significant part of them was infected with syphilis (Baker et al., 2005).
However, people engaged in TSUS (Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis) were not informed about their participation and central conditions of the experiment. In such a way, one of the basic ethical principles that presuppose the acquisition of informed consent was violated. No one except the observers knew about this very experiment (Baker et al., 2005). At the same time, freedom from coercion was also infringed. Residents were not forced to take part in TSUS; however, the absence of information and their firmness that they are provided with traditional medical services and care turned them into the participants against their will.
Speaking about TSUS and peculiarities of its realization, deception should also be mentioned. Traditionally, it is one of the most discussed ethical issues in research, as deceiving participants is dishonest and deteriorates their trust. For this reason, ethical standards presuppose the provision of complete data about the experiment. However, regarding the study, limited deception could be observed. Patients were informed that they were treated for syphilis; however, they were not provided with newly-discovered penicillin, which became one of the most efficient methods to treat the disease. As a result, numerous unnecessary deaths were observed among participants.
Furthermore, the unethical and even racist character of the research resulted in the absence of adequate debriefing, which is a critical part of any study that implies human participants. Even today, complete data about persons who contracted syphilis from participants or who suffered in the course of the experiment remains unknown (Heller, 2005). Only in 1997 the President gave a formal apology for the research and initiated its discussion. However, the issue remains doubtful, and an adequate debriefing is hardly possible.
Finally, the confidentiality of the participants was also violated. Researchers were not interested in the preservation of the anonymity of respondents or their personal data. For this reason, the bigger part of residents engaged in the research is known.
Altogether, the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment became one of the most contradictory and disputable events in the world of science. The fact is that researchers violated numerous ethical issues and acted disregarding participants interests or basic rights. For this reason, its negative impact on relations between the African-American population of the USA and the healthcare sector is still discussed nowadays. TSUS stipulated the appearance of distrust and suspiciousness due to its unethical character and disregard of peoples needs and demands.
References
Baker, S., Brawley, O., & Marks, L. (2005). Effects of the untreated syphilis in the Negro male, 1932 to 1972: A closure comes to the Tuskegee study, 2004. Urology, 65(6), 1259-1261.
Heller, J. (2005). Syphilis victims in U.S. study went untreated for 40 years. Urology, 65(6), 1261-1262.
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