Tuskegee

=__Tuskegee Syphilis__ __Study__=

Kamerin Harvey
>
 * History**
 * The Tuskegee syphilis study began in 1932 by the U.S. Public Health Service (venereal sections) under the command of Dr. Taliaferro Clark whose initial goal was to follow untreated syphilis in a group of black men for 6 to 9 months, and then follow up with a treatment phase. Other study members intended on using deceptive practices; Clack disagreed with the intent to conduct extended study and he later retired a year after the study began.
 * The study lasted for forty years; the main reason for its long run was because of the enticing of the men to remain in the experiment. Offering free health care, hot meals, and certificates of appreciation many men stayed in the program with the slogan//"Last Chance for Special Free Treatment"//.
 * Ending in 1972 the cause of the demise was of a story by the Associated Press; it was then a panel of several professions evaulated the situation. They had agreed that the men had been misled and had not been given all the facts required to provide informed consent; also the men were never given adequate treatment for their disease, for the drug of choice for syphilis became penicillin in 1947.

Timeline:
http://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm http://www.experiment-resources.com/tuskegee-syphilis-study.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment#History
 * 1895** Booker T. Washington at the Atlanta Cotton Exposition, outlines his dream for black economic development and gains support of northern philanthropists, including Julius Rosenwald (President of Sears, Roebuck and Company).
 * 1900** Tuskegee educational experiment gains widespread support. Rosenwald Fund provides monies to develop schools, factories, businesses, and agriculture.
 * 1915** Booker T. Washington dies; Robert Motin continues work.
 * 1926** Health is seen as inhibiting development and major health initiative is started. Syphilis is seen as major health problem. Prevalence of 35 percent observed in reproductive age population.
 * 1929** Aggressive treatment approach initiated with mercury and bismuth. Cure rate is less than 30 percent; treatment requires months and side effects are toxic, sometimes fatal.
 * 1929** "Wall Street Crash"--economic depression begins.
 * 1931** Rosenwald Fund cuts support to development projects. Clark and Vondelehr decide to follow men left untreated due to lack of funds in order to show need for treatment program.
 * 1932** Follow-up effort organized into study of 399 men with syphilis and 201 without. The men would be given periodic physical assessments and told they were being treated. Motin agrees to support study if "Tuskegee Institute gets its full share of the credit" and black professionals are involved (Dr. Dibble and Nurse Rivers are assigned to study).
 * 1934** First papers suggest health effects of untreated syphilis.
 * 1936** Major paper published. Study criticized because it is not known if men are being treated. Local physicians asked to assist with study and not to treat men. Decision was made to follow the men until death.
 * 1940** Efforts made to hinder men from getting treatment ordered under the military draft effort.
 * 1945** Penicillin accepted as treatment of choice for syphilis.
 * 1947** USPHS establishes "Rapid Treatment Centers" to treat syphilis; men in study are not treated, but syphilis declines.
 * 1962** Beginning in 1947, 127 black medical students are rotated through unit doing the study.
 * 1968** Concern raised about ethics of study by Peter Buxtun and others.
 * 1969** CDC reaffirms need for study and gains local medical societies' support (AMA and NMA chapters officially support continuation of study).
 * 1972** First news articles condemn studies.
 * 1972** Study ends.

After Math of Tuskegee Testing

Aubria Bolin

Attorney Fred Gray partnered with the participants in the testing along with their families to file a class action law suit in 1973. The class action suit ended in a settlement of more than $9 million awarded to the partakers. In addition to the settlement, the US government granted all family members free health care and burial.

In 19996, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study Legacy Committee congregated with two objectives they wanted to accomplish: an apology from President Clinton and address the damage and ethics from the study. In addition of their requests, the Committee also advocated for restoring the name of Tuskegee through education about the trial, formulate a clearinghouse of ethics of scientific research, and creating training programs for health care providers.

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On May 16, 1997, President Clinton gathered survivors of the Tuskegee testing for a formal apology. He acknowledged Charlie Pollard, Carter Howard, Fred Simmons, Frederick Moss (survivors), and Gwendolyn Cox (Sam Donor), North Hendon (Earnest Hendon), and Christopher Monroe (George Key), who stood in for family members who did not survive. Clinton apologized for the emotional and physical trauma they experienced, while also commending them for their bravery.

Clinton promised:
 * 1) a memorial to be placed at the University which would serve as a museum for bioethics research and health care
 * 2) Increase community involvement including informed consent and mandatory review
 * 3) Improve bioethics training so build stronger ethical principles.
 * 4) Broaden the understanding of ethical issues and clinical research by expanding post-grad fellowships
 * 5) Extended National Bioethics Advisory Commission to October 1999

http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/New/Remarks/Fri/19970516-898.html

http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/jul/tuskegee/