On Sunday night, CNN will air “Three Identical Strangers,” a documentary about an experiment in which adopted twins and triplets were secretly separated. Viewers will probably be appalled as they learn about the emotional damage these individuals experienced as a result of their forced separation. But this medical experiment was not exceptional: It was just one of many unethical studies in the 1950s and 1960s that used subjects as means to an end.
Another shocking research project from the US (1955-70) that demonstrates the Nuremberg war trials and publication of the Nuremberg Code didn’t end egregious ethical lapses. We have added links to some related items.
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Human experimentation surged during World War II as American scientists raced to find treatments for diseases encountered on the battlefield. This experimental enthusiasm continued into the Cold War years, as the United States competed with the Soviet Union for scientific knowledge. In both eras, a utilitarian mind-set trumped concerns about research subjects.
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