During the Cold War, American prisoners were used as medical guinea pigs in dangerous and unethical experiments. Allen Hornblum, author of the new book “Sentenced to Science,” and Yusef Anthony, a former prison test subject, recount this hidden history.
This account and the research on prisoners are just horrifying. It is like something from Nazi Germany or perhaps China’s use of organs from prisoners. This cohort is by definition vulnerable and their use is completely unacceptable. The fact that they were not being fully advised of what was being tested and the risks, only makes matters worse. While this is an egregious ethical lapse, it should only be used in professional development, guidance and resource material when speaking with biomedical researchers. It most definitely, shouldn’t be used when speaking with researchers in other disciplines. Even when it is used for biomedical researchers, it should be used as a launching point for a discussion about consent, risk, full disclosure and vulnerable populations.
