Tuskegee Case Study Summary

The problem with the proposal of researching on prisoners is the conflict it has with Autonomy. The first ethical principle of the Belmont report requires the researchers to respect the patient. This principle also implies a protection for those with diminished autonomy or vulnerable populations. Prisoners are amongst the vulnerable populations. Thus, this proposal is addressing whether or not prisoners are among those whose autonomy needs to be protected.
The proposal that prisoners ought to be targeted as research subjects for human clinical trials is unethical, it violates the principle of respect and justice. In terms of autonomy, prisoners are vulnerable subjects. It would be unfair to specifically target them amongst the list of other subjects. What makes prisoners vulnerable subjects in the first place? Prisoners are in an environment they don’t want to be in. Thus, in this condition, the prisoners could be coerced into partaking in the research. They are also put in a position where if they weren’t imprisoned, the prisoners may have not partaken in the study. It is ethically vital for …show more content…
The Belmont Principles, interpreted through Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), are meant to protect human subjects in research. Explain: What are the Belmont principles, where did they come from, and how were the Belmont Principles a response to the research scandals of 1960s and 1970s, especially Tuskegee and the studies discussed by Beecher? Evaluate: How well do the Belmont Principles and the IRB system work to protect human subjects? Select a case drawn from the course (e.g. ACT UP, 23andMe’s research, the proposed trial of anthrax vaccine on children, or global pharmaceutical research in places like India and Uganda) and analyze it terms of the principles. Then discuss the strengths and limitations of using the principles as the basis for analysis. What, if anything, is clarified? What, if anything, is overlooked, ignored or left out of a Belmont-based