US apologizes for STD tests in Guatemala

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Agence France Presse

The study conducted between 1946 and 1948 in Guatemala was "clearly unethical" and "reprehensible," said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in a statement.

The researchers who conducted the study enrolled vulnerable populations including mental patients, and did not inform them of the intent of the study or what would happen to them. The participants were encouraged to pass on sexually transmitted diseases, and some who contracted syphilis were not treated.

A total of some 1,500 people took part in the study. At least one patient died during the experiments, although it is not clear whether the death was from the experiments or from an underlying medical problem.

"Although these events occurred more than 64 years ago, we are outraged that such reprehensible research could have occurred under the guise of public health," Clinton and Sebelius said.

"We deeply regret that it happened and we apologize to all the individuals who were affected by such abhorrent research practices," they said, announcing the launch of a thorough investigation into the specifics of the study.

"The sexually transmitted disease inoculation study conducted from 1946-1948 in Guatemala was clearly unethical."

The aim of the Guatemala study, which was funded by a grant from the US National Institutes of Health to the then Pan American Sanitary Bureau, which became the Pan American Health Organization, was to look for new ways to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

The first experiments in Guatemala involved infecting female commercial sex workers with gonorrhea or syphilis, and then allowing them to have unprotected sex with soldiers or prison inmates.

"When few of these men became infected, the research approach changed to direct inoculation of soldiers, prisoners and mental hospital patients," background documents on the study show.

link

[Nina~ 431]

Just terrible. And sounds eerily like the Tuskegee experiments.

[^_^ 5,021]

The aim of the Guatemala study ... was to look for new ways to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

Did it work?

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Did it work?

Nope.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Apologies like this are so stupid.....

Unless they came from the individuals who promoted this #######, then there should be no apology.

What a damn waste of time.

[Danno 1,228]

If Team Obama worked so had at creating jobs as they do digging for historic things to apologize over... we might have people FINDING jobs in this country rather than losing them, BUYING houses instead of losing them to foreclosure.

Anyway, I suspect people across this board and across the country are glad the drugs developed from such studies made the clap a minor inconvenience.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If Team Obama worked so had at creating jobs as they do digging for historic things to apologize over...

I thought the government doesn't create jobs? At least from the Right Wing perspective?

[Danno 1,228]

I thought the government doesn't create jobs? At least from the Right Wing perspective?

THe gov't "Shouldn't be" creating jobs.... but it certainly can .. or is able too.

we have watched Government grow at astounding rates .. this translates into jobs... but not jobs which will grow the economy to any great extent.

Now Obama borrowed money and promised "shovel ready jobs" rather than focus on these, Team Obama is focused on making amends for wrongs.....in places which were never even aware of the wrong done so long ago.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Accountability is the first step...

[Nina~ 431]

If Team Obama worked so had at creating jobs as they do digging for historic things to apologize over... we might have people FINDING jobs in this country rather than losing them, BUYING houses instead of losing them to foreclosure.

Anyway, I suspect people across this board and across the country are glad the drugs developed from such studies made the clap a minor inconvenience.

The study, which was never published, came to light this year after Wellesley College professor Susan Reverby stumbled upon archived documents outlining the experiment led by controversial US public health doctor John Cutler.

Did you even read the whole article?

There was already a cure for syphillis. What was so unethical & horrendous about this study was that they were intentionally infecting people with syphillis in order to study it further. Any self respecting person would never be "glad" about something like this.

Edited October 2, 2010 by Nina~

[Danno 1,228]

Did you even read the whole article?

There was already a cure for syphillis. What was so unethical & horrendous about this study was that they were intentionally infecting people with syphillis in order to study it further. Any self respecting person would never be "glad" about something like this.

I spoke in broad terms about research and what has been achieved by it.

It's no secret, in the past there were few other means to advance in research outside of using people as guinea pigs. The problem was how they acquired them.

From what was reported on the radio, this was done with their Governments permission, I havn;t heard if they too have apologized.

[twowls 217]

Did you even read the whole article?

There was already a cure for syphillis. What was so unethical & horrendous about this study was that they were intentionally infecting people with syphillis in order to study it further. Any self respecting person would never be "glad" about something like this.

Stop trying to use your "logic" and "facts" to make clear and cogent points against ignorant bleating. Factinista. Whatever horrors these people endured, I'm sure it's not more important than using their story to make a completely asinine non sequitur point about Obama.

[Danno 1,228]

Stop trying to use your "logic" and "facts" to make clear and cogent points against ignorant bleating. Factinista. Whatever horrors these people endured, I'm sure it's not more important than using their story to make a completely asinine non sequitur point about Obama.

She made the type of post which encourages good discussion, your posting as usual is full of personal attacks which add nothing at all positive.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Stop trying to use your "logic" and "facts" to make clear and cogent points against ignorant bleating. Factinista. Whatever horrors these people endured, I'm sure it's not more important than using their story to make a completely asinine non sequitur point about Obama.

wth ? Are you high ?

[twowls 217]

She made the type of post which encourages good discussion, your posting as usual is full of personal attacks which add nothing at all positive.

Well I guess I'm still waiting for the part where you acknowledge her great points and engage in said "good discussion." My apologies for preemptively assuming you would look for any way to avoid doing so. An example of that avoidance might be...your post to me instead of to her. But I'm all ears. Please do carry on.

wth ? Are you high ?

Go away Crockett. You don't comprehend irony and Tubbs wants you down at the pier. Big action tonight.