John R. Hoffman is a Professor of Biology, public speaker and a scientist examining the recovery of the nervous system after injury. Since 2006 he has written several unpublished manuscripts and he is currently working on the first Nathaniel Smythe novel and short story collection. He spends his spare time with his family and running.

13 History of Human Subject Research

Objectives:

By the end of this lecture, the student will be able to:

  1. Provide an historial example for the need for guidelines on the use of human subjects in biomedical research.
  2. Describe the ethical issues associated with the Tuskegee Study.

A Brief History of Human Subject Research

This mini-lecture provides a brief overview of the history of human subject research. The handout for this presentation can be downloaded and printed.

Reading/Documentary:

The Deadly Deception: The Tuskegee Study (1-hour video recording). NOVA/WGBH-TV Films for the Humanities and Sciences; 1993.

Assignment: Bad Blood
Watch The Deadly Deception: The Tuskegee Study (1-hour video recording). NOVA/WGBH-TV Films for the Humanities and Sciences; 1993.

In your discussion group: Identify the ethical philosophies (utilitarianism, virtue theory, egoism, etc) that different individuals used throughout this story. Were the ethical philosophies applied correctly, and if not, what was incorrect? Assuming that everyone involved in this study was acting with good intentions, what can be done when an individual following the principles of one ethical system is in conflict with the ethical principles of other people?

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Next: 14 – Human Subject Regulations