Posted: April 5th, 2023

MEDS6013 Sem 1 2023 Assessment 1

MEDS6013 Sem 1 2023 Assessment 1
The values of respect, research merit and integrity, justice, and beneficence have become prominent in the ethics of human research in the past six decades, and they provide a substantial and flexible framework for principles to guide the design, review and conduct of such research” (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2015, p.11).
To complete this assessment you are required to access a copy of the Declaration of Helsinki and any relevant national ethics guidelines, for example, The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (Australia) and use these to guide your analysis of an unethical study.
For this assignment, you are required to investigate what is now known as the “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male.” This study was conducted in 1932 in the United States of America by the Public Health Service, working with the Tuskegee Institute. The study aimed to record the natural history of syphilis in hopes of justifying treatment programs for African Americans. The researchers initially recruited 600 African American men (399 with syphilis and 201 who did not have the disease) for the study. The study was conducted without the benefit of the patient’s informed consent. Researchers told the men they were being treated for -bad blood,- a local term used to describe several ailments, including syphilis, anaemia, and fatigue. In truth, they did not receive the proper treatment needed to cure their illness. In exchange for taking part in the study, the men received free medical exams, free meals, and burial insurance. Although originally projected to last 6 months, the study actually went on for 40 years. Please watch a 6-minute video about this study on the following link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/programs/planet-america/2021-04-30/the-horrifying-%E2%80%98experiment%E2%80%99-of-tuskegee/13325030
There is sufficient information on this study in credible sources (e.g. peer-reviewed journal articles, books, reports and historical records) so please do not use or refer to Wikipedia. Continue to investigate this study until you have an understanding of the research question that was posed, the aims and objectives of this research, its design, how participants were recruited, how data was collected, analysed and interpreted, and the outcomes of the research. Briefly summarise these methods/methodology and results in 250-300 words.
With the knowledge you have from investigating this study scrutinise the conduct of the research against the Declaration of Helsinki and the relevant national guideline (Australia), describing how the researchers failed to uphold 2 of the 4 values in the above statement and the impact their actions had on participants in this study and potential participants in future research studies (400 words for each value chosen). In addition, describe how international research ethics practices changed as a result of investigations into this study (200 words).
Please structure your written submission according to the APA 7th Edition style (https://apastyle.apa.org/instructional-aids/student-paper-setup-guide.pdf), paying attention to the need for an introduction (150 words) and conclusion (150 words). Your submission should be 1600 words +/- 10%. Please note that the word count includes in-text citations and headings but excludes end-text citations and the title page. It is expected that only credible references will be used and that you will include at least 10 references (no more than 15) to support your work. Please note that there is no age limit to the references used in this assessment.
Due date: Monday, 3 April 2023 @ 23:59 Hours AWST
Reference:
National Health and Medical Research Council (2007). National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Canberra, Australian Government.
World Medical Association (2001). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 79(4), 373.
Introduction

The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male is a notorious example of unethical research that violated the values of respect, justice, beneficence, and integrity in human research. This study, conducted in the United States of America in 1932, recruited 600 African American men and monitored them for 40 years without their informed consent. The researchers deceived the participants into believing they were being treated for “bad blood” and denied them the necessary treatment for syphilis. In this paper, we will investigate the methods, results, and ethical considerations of the Tuskegee Study, and how it failed to uphold the values outlined in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the Declaration of Helsinki.

Methods and Results

The Tuskegee Study aimed to record the natural history of syphilis and justify treatment programs for African Americans. The researchers recruited 399 African American men with syphilis and 201 without the disease. The participants were promised free medical exams, meals, and burial insurance in exchange for their participation. However, the researchers did not provide the participants with the necessary treatment for syphilis and actively prevented them from seeking treatment elsewhere. The study was projected to last for six months but continued for 40 years, resulting in the deaths of 28 participants due to syphilis-related complications.

The data collected in the Tuskegee Study was analysed through clinical examinations, spinal taps, and autopsies. However, the results were not used to benefit the participants or the African American community. Instead, the data was used to justify the continuation of segregation and the belief that African Americans were biologically inferior to whites.

Ethical Considerations

Respect: The researchers in the Tuskegee Study violated the principle of respect by denying the participants their informed consent. The participants were not informed of the true nature of the study, were not given the option to withdraw, and were actively prevented from seeking treatment for their illness. The researchers treated the participants as objects rather than autonomous individuals with the right to make their own decisions about their health.

Justice: The Tuskegee Study also violated the principle of justice by targeting a vulnerable population without regard for their well-being. The African American men in the study were from a low-income community with limited access to healthcare, making them vulnerable to exploitation. The study perpetuated the unjust treatment of African Americans in the healthcare system and reinforced the belief that they were inferior to whites.

Impact on Participants and Future Research

The impact of the Tuskegee Study on the participants was significant, with many suffering from the long-term effects of untreated syphilis, including blindness, paralysis, and death. The study also had an impact on future research, leading to the development of ethical guidelines and regulations to protect the rights and well-being of research participants. The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research and the Declaration of Helsinki were developed to ensure that research is conducted with the principles of respect, justice, beneficence, and integrity. These guidelines require researchers to obtain informed consent, protect vulnerable populations, ensure the welfare of participants, and maintain the integrity of the research.

Conclusion

The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male is a striking example of the consequences of unethical research practices. The study violated the principles of respect and justice, leading to the suffering of vulnerable participants and reinforcing harmful stereotypes about African Americans. The impact of the study was far-reaching, leading to the development of ethical guidelines and regulations to protect the rights and well-being of research participants. It serves as a reminder of the importance of upholding ethical principles in all human research to protect the rights and well-being of participants and ensure the integrity of research.

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