There are numerous ethical issues associated with infectious diseases; including vaccines, isolation/quarantine, bias, experimental studies etc. (Artifact 5 sheet). Today, there have been frequent debates on the use of vaccines due to possible (negative) risks. Complications related to vaccines continue to instill fear among people, though immunization is still regarded as the most effective preventive measure for diseases. With that being said, vaccination is a choice; you cannot coerce another person in to getting vaccinated. Similar to the fact that no one can force you to participate in an experimental study (Jones).

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study highlighted many ethical concerns such as medical misconduct and an indifference towards human rights. The primary targets of the experiment were poor, African American sharecroppers (“expendables”), deceived by the promise of care (The Deadly Deception). Underestimation of those infected with syphilis, diverged the original focus of the study from a treatment plan to the research and collection of data on untreated syphilis. Unknowingly, individuals who were once patients were converted in to research subjects (The Deadly Deception).

At the time, there were no regulations or protective measures to ensure full disclosure or protection from unnecessary risks. Many subjects of human experimentation were primarily individuals who were medically and socially disadvantaged (had to comply to their owners) (The Deadly Deception). Unconcerned by their welfare, many participants were deceived in to partaking in ‘treatments,’ without ever being informed of the true nature of their illness, or the dangers they faced. Thus, gambling the lives of hundreds of men (The Deadly Deception).

This influenced the making of The Belmont Report; specific ethical principles and guidelines for research involving human subjects. The Belmont Report formed three basic principles: respect for persons (acknowledge autonomy and protect those with diminished autonomy), beneficence (maximization of possible benefits and minimal possible harms), and justice (equal treatment). acknowledge autonomy and protect those with diminished autonomy). They applied the general principles by requiring, informed consent, conducting proper risk/benefit assessments, and use fair procedures in the selection of research subjects (The Belmont Report).

Despite this, it does not excuse the methods that were taken place. The ideals and methods of this experiment were incredibly flawed and unjust. Instead of furthering ‘science,’ it created an ambivalence towards scientific research and an extreme distrust towards those in medical professions (within the African-American community) (The Deadly Deception).

Help Received: The Deadly Deception: Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment video (YouTube), Artifact sheet, The Belmont Report (HHH.gov), Cadet Jones (structure and organization of information), Dictionary/Thesaurus