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Syphilis has been known to be one of the world’s feared chronic venereal diseases and Tuskegee syphilis is not exceptional. The study of the disease dates back to the 1910s. When there was research on guinea pigs and ever since this failed due to poor treatment administration and lack of advanced research, the focus was turned on man. Oslo clinical observations had revealed pathological manifestations in the white men observed thus need for scientific research on the disease pathology, clinical signs, disease cause, and fatalism, epidemiology and find convenient treatment with preventive measures. The kind of study that they did was retrospective and there was a need for a progressive study. Oslo also got a big blow upon the downfall of the stock market hence the lack of funding to continue with the research. It is to this call that in 1932, the longest nontherapeutic experiment was established by the Tuskegee Institute in collaboration with the Public health service. They got 399 infected persons for their subjects and 201 healthy persons as control. These people were taken from the poor illiterate African Americans at Macon country, Alabama.
This research was concealed from the public as the physicians undertaking it knew that this was morally wrong and the highest order of racism in medicine with abuse of humanity. The government was at the forefront of supporting the research where the poor people were given some compensation for unknowingly participating in this fatal and unethical study. They were told that they were been treated for bad blood which could signify syphilis anemia or fatigue. Among the compensations were: free medical examinations, meals, burial money, and transportation to and fro their homes and clinical centers. In exchange, they have subjected Salvarsan, mercury-based, and bismuth drugs which were toxic with advanced side effects yet ineffective. In 1934 when penicillin was found to be a more effective drug with fewer side effects and fur much less toxicity, there was a national campaign for treatment of Tuskegee syphilis with specific clinics set up for treatment but, the men under experiment were not allowed to access medication. They were subjected to unproductive treatment to provide room for the assessment of the fatal progression of the disease. Once any of them died a post mo term examination was carried out to analyze the effect of the virus on the cells and tissues this was also the determinant factor to accord funeral benefits.
The task involved several physicians key among them was, Dr. Oliver C. Weger who did the first developmental analysis setting down the protocols to be observed in the research. The site director Dr. Kario Von Pereira had to do the initial examinations to detect the presence of the virus as well as give down the ways to be followed in the treatment. Dr. Raymond H. Vondelehr gave policies to be followed and urged that the subject’s consent be sort when conducting the neurological spiral taps text in the advanced levels of the disease. After the groundwork and base were laid, Dr. John R. Heller carried out the progressive phase during which the administration of drugs was done. He was an outspoken person defending the unethical study in his argument that the people involved were lab materials called subjects but, not sick patients as thought by society. He, therefore, saw no need for ethical debate. Another key person in the study was an African American nurse named Eunice Rivers, she was in the entire process from the beginning to the end. She was the contact person between the physicians and the community. Treatment, transportation, accommodation of very weak subjects, organization of the clinic days, the free meals and the continuity of the study were all under her care.
It was not until 1966 that Dr. Peter Buxtun(director for the division of venereal diseases), stood up to question the morality of the study. The government and the physicians involved ignored his questioning and so he set up to leak the information to the public through the press where he wrote a report concerning the study in 1970 (Hitner pp 1177). The report was also sent to the National Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He was called at a congress held by Senator Ted Kennedy to present his report. After which the National Medical Association filed a lawsuit against the study. So the Tuskegee Syphilis Study Committee was formed to investigate the matter. They dug deep into the origin, progress, feelings of the physicians, effects of the study to the African Americans, the political impact, legal aspects involved and did an analysis of participants’ anthropology.
It is from their findings and recommendations that the study came to an end in 1972 after 40 years of its existence. At this point; of the 399 persons infected, 28 had died from the disease, 100 died from complications by drugs administered and secondary infections, 40 wives were infected and 19 children contracted the disease through congenital aspects. At this time only 74 persons had survived although with very poor chances of full recovery. The effect of this study led to the establishment of the National Research Act and so the affected families were compensated with $ 9 million, free medication to the survivors and their infected family members. This was finally marked with an apology speech by President Clinton in 1997 at the white house where the Tuskegee Study Committee members and the 5 survivors remaining attended. (Jones pp 72).
Mr. Clinton’s apology was quite genuine as he clearly admitted that there was no reverse nor adequate compensation to the loss, pain, and damage caused by the study. He also highlighted that the matter could not be ignored nor the issues pertaining to the study overlooked. The way out was to face the victims and admit that he and the government were sorry. Such abuse of human ethics was not to be kept silent now or ever.
His apology was, however, not received by some African Americans as genuine since they held back to their belief that they were still discriminated against. The civil rights movement had capitalized on this study in their protests. An African American preacher Mr. Jeremiah Wright criticized the act as the highest form and degree of racism. The study developed a very negative impact on the African American approach to medical trust thus shunning treatment activities, preventive measures of some diseases, and transplantation of organs together with their donations.
In conclusion; this was the most unethical conduct in the medic cycles. It had a very strong sense of racism. The fact that the true information was withheld from the subjects and the public makes it even worse. Their denial to access medication is criminal in nature as it is murder. The government supposed to protect the citizens were in fact exploiting them. Although President Clinton’s apology was genuine the compensations given were not sufficient. The law on National research was a very positive move and more moves should be made. Animal scientists are already campaigning for the welfare of animals in terms of their use in medical research and so it is my opinion that the use of fellow human beings should be unheard of. If it is vitally important to use man in research, let it not be for a longer course than half a year. The persons should be fully aware of what is to be done and the repercussions thus, enroll on a voluntary basis.
Works cited
Hitner, S. “Tuskegee Syphilis Study under review” Christ century 90 (43); (1973) pp 1174-1176.
Jones, James H. Bad blood: The Tuskegee Syphilis exercise. New York, Free press.(1981) pp 1-85.
Olansky S; Lsimpson et al. Environmental factors in the Tuskegee study of the untreated syphilis. A public health report 69(7); (1954) pp 691-698.
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