Ethical Research: Tuskegee Study On Syphilis In African Americans
Ethical Research
Katherine Jensen
Nursing Research
NU310
Julie Grissom
November 4, 2014
Ethical Research
Medical research studies disease in patients and how they are affected by these illnesses. However, consent is always required whether or not treatment is administered. Patients should always be kept informed of the changes in their condition and the treatment they are receiving. Sadly, this was not the case for the Tuskegee study on Syphilis in African American.
Overview of the Tuskegee Study
The Tuskegee Institute, along with the Public Health Service, interested in how syphilis naturally progressed began a study in 1932 on 600 African American men (CDC, 2013). In the study 399 were infected with the disease (CDC, 2013). Not …show more content…
When conducting any kind of research study involving humans, basic rights play an important role throughout the course of the study. The first semester of classes for almost all medical professionals stresses the patient’s rights. According to Polit and Beck (2012), the Belmont Report focused mainly on the ethical standards of research which included “beneficence, respect for human dignity, and justice.” Beneficence basically means to do is good for the patient and is a way to protect the patient’s from harm. These essential standards of conduct for research were completely ignored or violated during the Tuskegee study. The patients involved in the study were not treated with respect. It was almost as if they were seen as subhuman by the researchers. When medication was available to treat, and actually cure, the condition it was withheld from these patients without reason or rationale. These patients were not thoroughly informed of the reason for the study nor were they educated on the effects of the disease would have on …show more content…
Not concerning syphilis, but on what not to do while conducting research with human participants. I think the best way to prevent this travesty would be to require an independent review. According to Emanuel, Abdoler, & Stunkel, from the National Institute of Health (n.d.), and independent review is “a group of people who are not connected to the research” that “help make sure research studies fulfill all of the ethical principles.”Another strategy to prevent violating patient’s rights is the use of informed consent. Informed consent is also a way to weed out inappropriate candidates. For a patient to sign informed consent they are voluntarily signing and are made aware of all aspects of the study, including adverse or unpleasant effects, as well as being competent enough to sign the consent (Emanuel, Abdoler, & Stunkel,
Katherine Jensen
Nursing Research
NU310
Julie Grissom
November 4, 2014
Ethical Research
Medical research studies disease in patients and how they are affected by these illnesses. However, consent is always required whether or not treatment is administered. Patients should always be kept informed of the changes in their condition and the treatment they are receiving. Sadly, this was not the case for the Tuskegee study on Syphilis in African American.
Overview of the Tuskegee Study
The Tuskegee Institute, along with the Public Health Service, interested in how syphilis naturally progressed began a study in 1932 on 600 African American men (CDC, 2013). In the study 399 were infected with the disease (CDC, 2013). Not …show more content…
When conducting any kind of research study involving humans, basic rights play an important role throughout the course of the study. The first semester of classes for almost all medical professionals stresses the patient’s rights. According to Polit and Beck (2012), the Belmont Report focused mainly on the ethical standards of research which included “beneficence, respect for human dignity, and justice.” Beneficence basically means to do is good for the patient and is a way to protect the patient’s from harm. These essential standards of conduct for research were completely ignored or violated during the Tuskegee study. The patients involved in the study were not treated with respect. It was almost as if they were seen as subhuman by the researchers. When medication was available to treat, and actually cure, the condition it was withheld from these patients without reason or rationale. These patients were not thoroughly informed of the reason for the study nor were they educated on the effects of the disease would have on …show more content…
Not concerning syphilis, but on what not to do while conducting research with human participants. I think the best way to prevent this travesty would be to require an independent review. According to Emanuel, Abdoler, & Stunkel, from the National Institute of Health (n.d.), and independent review is “a group of people who are not connected to the research” that “help make sure research studies fulfill all of the ethical principles.”Another strategy to prevent violating patient’s rights is the use of informed consent. Informed consent is also a way to weed out inappropriate candidates. For a patient to sign informed consent they are voluntarily signing and are made aware of all aspects of the study, including adverse or unpleasant effects, as well as being competent enough to sign the consent (Emanuel, Abdoler, & Stunkel,