Tuskegee Syphilis Study Ethics

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study is an example of blatant disregard for the American creed which clearly states “Justice for all”, whereas the white population (people of European decent) with syphilis received the penicillin treatment without having to participate in what would be identified as the unethical study, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. There was an obvious difference in treatment between the two groups of people. Therefore, the people of this study were deceived into participating with no knowledge of the what the study actually entailed. The only benefit that was received was small monetary compensation for the African American participants. The thought of these researchers were that African Americans were biologically different and unfortunately exploitation of these men was considered acceptable. …show more content…
Defects in the study proved injustice to these African American men. Over one hundred African American men died from complications of the disease, twenty-eight of them died specifically from the syphilis disease itself which could have been prevented had they been given penicillin. The first Nuremberg Code states that participants in any study or research is required to know what the study procedures will consist of, the goal of the study, and of course, receive documented consent from participants. Also, one of the more significance of the Belmont Codes is that this gives permission to the patients when they wish to receive the aid that is proper, which is one element that was neglected during the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The male participants were not properly informed of the procedure or goal of the Tuskegee Syphilis