Human
subject research is the process by which researchers try out advancements in
medicine or any other area on human beings. This type of procedure has been conducted
for a long time, and in the last two centuries several ethical complaints have
been made.
The Tuskegee syphilis experiment is a
well-known case of polemic human subject researches. Between 1932 and 1972,
hundreds of African American males from Tuskegee, Alabama, were being treated
for syphilis without knowing that they had contracted the disease beforehand.
Moreover, doctors lied to them by saying that they were being treated for “bad
blood,” which is a generic term for diseases such as anemia and fatigue (see picture for more details)
Many changes in regulations ensued: patients were
supposed to know what they are actually doing; participants must know their precise
test results, among other changes. So, it seems that such situations are necessary
for the creation of regulations that ensure people’s lives. But, are these
rules enough to stop researchers from malpractices?
In 2008, fourteen Argentinean children under the
age of one died during a research conducted in 2007 and 2008 by GlaxoSmithKline.
The company and several doctors were fined and accused of experimenting with
human beings and falsifying contracts.
Clearly, human experimentation is an issue
that does not seem to stop even if countries establish more regulations. The solution,
in my opinion, is to create an international document that ensure people’s
lives during research and supervise these companies. So, what do you think? Do
you agree with my solution? Why? Why not? Is there other way to prevent such
atrocities?
