Ethical Issues Of Human Experimentation During The Cold War

Human Experimentation As a result of its dark history, human experimentation is an extremely controversial topic, the many unethical experiments conducted and how the effects took toll on their subjects. The Nuremberg Code is a set of research ethics for human experimentation set as a result of the Subsequent Nuremberg at the end of the Second World War. During World War 2 the Nazi scientist Mengele forced inhumanly scientific experimentations upon the prisoners who were in the concentration camps. The Cold War era was a hot spot for unethical human experimentation not only conducted by the Soviet Union but also by the United States. “Human Experimentation” has assumed a negative connotation due to its history. The Americans decided to
“The degree of risk to be taken should never exceed that determined by the humanitarian importance of the problem to be solved by the experiment.” (Hornblum 2) Human subjects should be protected against even the remote possibility of harm. “Proper preparations should be made and adequate facilities provided to protect the experimental subject against even remote possibilities of injury disability, or death.”(Hornblum 2) Only highly qualified scientists can conduct the experiment. “Experiment should be conducted only by scientifically qualified persons, the highest degree of skill and care should be required through all stages of the experiment of those who conduct or engage in the experiment.”(Hornblum 2) Human participants should be free to end an experiment at any time. “During the course of the experiment the human subject should be at liberty to bring the experiment to an end if he has reached the physical or mental state where continuation of
In order to close the mind-control gap American scientist proposed a top-secret research program on behavior modification, drugs, hypnosis, electroshock, and lobotomy. (Goode) These experiments conducted by the Department of Defense, C.I.A, and other agencies exposed thousands of Americans to radiation. (Goode) Experimental tests conducted included radiation effects, LSD, nerve gas to intense electric shocks and prolonged sensory deprivation. (Goode) Some knew what they were getting into but most were not even told what was done to them. People's lives were destroyed by mind-altering drugs, electroshock “treatments”, and many other involving toxic chemicals or behavior modifications. (Goode) Legal roadblocks erected by the government have made it impossible for victims of these cold war human experiments to sue the government successfully. (Goode) Only a handful of participants were ever compensated for these experimentations. (Goode) Congress may be moving to seek justice for all the government’s cold war experiment victims. (Goode) After the cold war ended, millions of pages of documents pertaining to radiation experimentation were declassified.(Goode) Project “MKULTRA” was a 20 year old CIA program to study the ways of manipulating people’s minds and altering their brain functions. (Goode) This program was engaged in many illegal activities. A device named “Cerpan” was developed that could generate and store