Essay Example. The Tuskegee Experiment Case Study

The Tuskegee Medical Experiment that took place in the South during the 1920s and 1930s was initially aimed at providing regular medical checkups as well as understanding the progress of syphilis over time among males (Pecorino, 2002). However, the case turned out to be racial after the experiment sample population was only made of 399 of infected African-American race and 201 who were not infected” (CDC, 2020). While there are speculations that prevalence levels were higher in people of color, numerous studies show that an equally significant portion of the white population was also infected. “The Study” as it was referred remediated several ethical principles including but not limited to honesty, deceit, and ignorance of medical experiment standards and protocols involving human experiments (Tuskegee University, 2020).

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In 1932, research doctors at the Tuskegee Institute in Macon Country, Alabama, did not tell their participants of the true reason why the experiment was being conducted. Similarly, the study was found to be ethically unjustified on the basis that a considerable number of scientific research protocols required to be applied on a routine basis to human subjects were a large extent flawed or ignored to guarantee the well-being and safety of the participants (Tuskegee University, 2020; CDC, 2020). However, when the study was at the initial stages, the boundary of whether the study was ethical or not was very thin as the researchers considered the experiment ethical based on the justifications that the study aimed to “document the natural course of untreated syphilis in African American men and examining if the disease had a different course according to race” (Paul & Brookes, 2015). Despite what seemed to be an honest argument to push through with the experiment, several outcomes including the massive infection that resulted and huge numbers of lives lost during the study-raised questions about the ethicality of the study.

Decades later when Penicillin was discovered – the cure for syphilis – it was withheld to both the experiment and control groups (Tuskegee University, 2020). In addition, the participants were never told or offered informed consent that educated them of the procedures and the intent of the research, the outcomes, consequences, and purpose of the study. Another major ethical concern that rose from the case was that the original title of the study “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male,” was withheld to both the participants and the press (Tuskegee University, 2020). This reprehensible decision made by the researchers was against the Hippocratic Oath in which requires scientific researchers to hold the highest of ethical standards.

The case presents several ethical concerns including racial discrimination, dishonesty, non-compliance, and well as deceit. For instance, the Ad Hoc Advisory Panel established to review the study in 1972, concluded that the study was “unethically justified.” The debilitate of the life-threatening outcomes of the study were not made aware to the subjects because it would influence the willingness of the subject to participate in the study. Secondly, the subjects were enticed to participate in the study on promises of treating “bad blood”- diagnosable ailments such as fatigue, syphilis, and anemia. They were also offered free “medical exams, rides to and from the clinics, meals on examination days, free treatment for minor ailments, and guarantees that provisions would be made after they die in terms of burial stipends paid to their survivors” (“About the USPHS Syphilis Study,” 2020). Yet, those who had syphilis were not saved from death when the treatment of Penicillin became available, to cure the infection.

The Tuskegee Experiment was not the only ethical dilemma caused by medical doctors who were sworn to protect the public. From the 1960’s to the 1980’s, the National Women’s Hospital “studied women with cervical cancer in situ” (Elliott, 2017) yet did not treat them for the cancer. Instead, the doctors deceived the patients into believing they were being treated for their cancer and allowed the cancer to continue for medical research. It was not until years later the study was found out by the government, which ultimately stopped the horrendous abuse. A less discussed approach to ethical principles is the Aristotelian concept of aretaic ethics, which puts virtue at the center of morality (Carroll & Buchholdtz, 2009, pp. 293-297). According to deontological ethics, what corresponds to one’s duty is right. The Kantian theory of the categorical imperative, people ought to follow certain moral principles simply because it is their duty to do so and not as a means towards any end. In this case, the researchers failed and some extend ignored the moral principles including code of conduct and the Hippocratic Oath.

History shows racism and prejudice play a derogatory role when minorities and women require medical treatment for various ailments and diseases. Therefore, more in-depth research is needed to find other ways to keep the doctor-patient relationship truthful and without any form of racism involved. Without that, racism and distrust will continue. Unfortunately, racism is a part of our history. Even currently, we still deal with racism on an everyday basis. Many of us believe one race is more superior to another, when in reality; we are all one race by the law of God. If we continue to dislike or hate someone simply because of one’s skin color, then we are not living the life God desires for us. Therefore, we are not worthy of His love and forgiveness.

Ethical and Biblical Framework

The Tuskegee Experiment has drawn several critics from a variety of religious frameworks, especially, from a Christian religious framework. For instance, in the Christian Bible, honesty and integrity are considered among the most important virtual to humanity. In the book of Colossians 3:9, the Bible says," Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (Colossians 3:9 King James Version, n.d.) Moreover, deceit, murder and dishonesty are punishable by death. According the Ten Commands found in the Christian faith, the sixth commandment “You shall not Murder,” and the ninth commandment “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” directly address the actions of the experiment (Exodus 20: 1-17, King James Version, 1611).

The above Christian principles bring to light the evils and immoralities performed to men of color in the name of studying the syphilis. The question of professionalism and integrity is also put in test. For instance, the act of the researchers withholding critical information such as the purpose of the study is practical example of not being honest. Besides, the definition of what is morally acceptable in modern society largely is based on religious principles. In Christian faith and majority of other major religions, the notion of what is right or wrong is primarily based on what is right or wrong according to God. In other words, what is right in religion is based on a reference of what is religiously acceptable. The fact the study resulted in death of humankind so some extent is considered murder. Moreover, those responsible for the death of the dozes of the black men were aware of the consequences.

Consequently, arguing form the angle of utilitarianism theory, the ethicality of the Experiment is solely judged by the greater good for the majority(Carroll & Buchholtz, 2008, p. 295). The utilitarianism paradigm asserts that actions that produce the greatest good for the greatest numbers (GGGN) are moral. From this perspective, it clear that largely the experiment can be considered ethical, because the end goal of the study was to develop a cure for syphilis for the larger community. As a result, the fact only a few black men were “sacrificed” to find the cure for the larger population justifies the experiment.

Secondly, the act of the researchers withholding some aspects of the true nature of the experiment to recruit as many as possible participants for the study, particular those that were not infected, is justifiable since the end result was to serve the greater population by discovering Penicillin which save millions of lives as a result. The study on promises to treat “bad blood”- diagnosable ailments such as fatigue, syphilis, and anemia. They were also offered free “medical exams, rides to and from the clinics, meals on examination days, free treatment for minor ailments, and guarantees that provisions would be made after they die in terms of burial stipends paid to their survivors” (“About the USPHS Syphilis Study,” 2020). All these promises were fulfilled and thus justifies that the experiment from the utilitarian perspective was in did ethical.

In conlusion, the Tuskegee Experiment case study to a great extent poses a considerable ethical dilemma as the religious framework and the utilitarian ethical framework contradict each other. From the religious perspective, the consequences resulting from the experiment including death and using humanity as specimen were unethical and an abuse to moral virtuals and principles. The researchers were not honest, they did not uphold their professional integrity, and their actions result in lose of innocent lives. All these consequences are considered wrong and unacceptable. On the contracry, the utilitarian ethical paradign asserts that what results in a greater good for the majority is ethical. In other words, this framework justifys the Tuskegee Experiement as it resulted in the discovery of Penicilin, which would be ater used to treat and cure syphilis cases to the larger population.

References

About the USPHS Syphilis Study. (2020). Retrieved from: https://www.tuskegee.edu/about-us/centers-of-excellence/bioethics-center/about-the-usphs-syphilis-study

Carroll, A. B. & Buchholtz, A., 2008. Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management. 7th ed. Mason. OH: Cengage Learning.

Colosians 3:9 King James Version, n.d. Colosians. In: Bible: King James Version. s.l.:King James Version.

Elliott, C. (2017). What New Zealand’s “Unfortunate Experiment” Can Teach Us About Medical Abuse. Retrieved from: http://bostonreview.net/science-nature/carl-elliott-what-new-zealands-unfortunate-experiment-can-teach-us-about-medical-abuse

Exodus 20: 1-17, King James Version, 1611. The Ten Commandments. In: Exodus. s.l.:King James Version.

National Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm

Paul, C., & Brookes, B. (2015). The Rationalization of Unethical Research: Revisionist Accounts of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and the New Zealand “Unfortunate Experiment.” Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4568718/

Pecorino, P. A., 2002. Chapter 7: Human Experimentation: The Least of My Brothers: The Tuskegee Medical Experiment. In: Medical Ethics. s.l.:s.n.