Ethics in studies have been, and continue to be an issue. Since ethics may differ from person to person, it is hard to generalize to create guidelines for research. Should we be able to isolate people because they might have an infectious disease? Should we be able to require everyone to get a vaccination? These are just a couple of questions that infectious diseases have seen controversy over.

An example of a study that had major implications on the guidelines for ethics of infectious diseases is the Tuskegee syphilis study. In this study, government doctors offered treatment for black men infected with syphilis. The subjects were not told that they had syphilis and endured painful spinal taps. The research was done to see the long-term effects of syphilis. This study was unethical because it denied patients treatment, which caused many of them to die. The doctor who oversaw the study was—and still—believed what he was doing was ethical. He rationalized the harm of the subjects with the benefits he thought it would give to society and medicine.

Another example of a study that had a large impact on the guidelines for ethics of infectious diseases is the Guatemala venereal disease study. In this study, researchers infected prisoners in Guatemala with gonorrhea or syphilis. They were not told they were being infected, and again, many of the subjects died because of the study.  The study was also rationalized in the same manner as the Tuskegee study.

One of the many problems unethical studies create is the distrust for medical professionals. Who would want to go to the doctor thinking you could end up a part of a study where you are infected with a disease or not properly treated? In addition, no one would want to participate in other studies that do not cause harm and would benefit society. If no one trusts the doctors, who is going to treat those that do become ill? A lack of trust in the medical field would probably result in a dramatic increase in illnesses.

So how do you overcome these ethical dilemmas? By setting guidelines for research, ethics may still be held at a standard allowing for trust in medical professionals. Although there are always ethical dilemmas occurring in the medical field, these guidelines can keep the medical professionals from veering into the wrong direction that will harm society.