Unethical Treatment of Research Study Participant
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Summary of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study was a study conducted in the US by the Department of PHS and
the CDC between 1932 and 1972 to examine the natural progress of untreated Syphilis among
Black American Men (Corbie-Smith, 1999). The study involved a total of 600 African American
men from Macon County, Alabama, of which 399 had latent syphilis, and the remaining were
free from the disease (Heintzelman, 2003). Most of these participants were illiterate and poor.
The majority also had never visited a doctor before but were in need of healthcare services.
Doctors from the PHS and CDC, which were running the research, informed the participants that
they were being treated for "bad blood" a term that was commonly used at that time to mean
"various type of ailments (Heintzelman, 2003). Participants were also enticed to take part in the
study by being offered a number of incentives including free rides to and from the clinics, free
means on examination days and free treatments for minor ailments. They were, however, not
informed about their diseases nor given proper treatment and care even after penicillin was
recommended as the standard drug for treating syphilis (Corbie-Smith, 1999). The research
continued for approximately 40 years, resulting in severe health consequences and numerous
deaths (Corbie-Smith, 1999). The study was terminated in November 16, 1972 after the evil
behind it was revealed to the public.
Reasons why the Study was Unethical
There are various reasons why the Tuskegee Syphilis Study was unethical. First, there was no
informed consent, which refers to the right of participants to be informed about all aspects of the
study that potentially impact their decision to participate in a study including the purpose of the
study and potential dangers (Heintzelman, 2003). The people who participated in the study were
not provided with necessary information to help them make informed decision on whether or not
to participate. For a scientific study to be ethical, researchers are usually required to provide
informed consent to reduce the possibility of coercion and ensure voluntarily participation
(Manti & Licari, 2018). This usually involve telling the participants about the aim of the study,
the period that the study will take and potential benefits and shortcomings to ensure that they
make informed decision.
Secondly, the study involved a lot of deception. To encourage a higher level of participation, the
scientists who conducted the study deceived the participants that they were going to be treated
for "bad blood" and minor diseases (Heintzelman, 2003). This act of deception is unethical since
it not only denied the men the right to make informed decision but made them to enter into a
study some of them would not have entered if they had the right information.
Third, the scientists failed to provide the required treatment, resulting in serious complications
and numerous deaths. Despite the availability of penicillin, the African American men who took
part in the study were not given the medication through the 40-year period that they participated
in the study, leading to serious health complications and numerous deaths (Heintzelman, 2003).
For a scientific study, to be ethical, researchers have the obligation to protect and ensure the
safety of participants. Researcher of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, however, failed to ensure the
safety of participants by failing to provide the required treatment, making the study unethical.
References
Corbie-Smith, G. (1999). The continuing legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study: considerations
for clinical investigation. The American journal of the medical sciences, 317(1), 5-8.
Heintzelman, C. A. (2003). The Tuskegee syphilis study and its implications for the 21st century.
The New Social Worker, 10(4), 4-5.
Manti, S., & Licari, A. (2018). How to obtain informed consent for research. Breathe, 14(2),
145-152.
