In the article, the BBC News tell us that a US medical test in Guatemala infected hundreds of Guatemalans with gonorrhoea and syphilis more than 60 years ago. They did the medical test in which mentally ill patients, prisoners and prostitutes were infected without their consent. Syphilis can cause a lot of serious problems, even death. We do not know how many patients who got infected ever got better. President Barack Obama has apologised for the medical test to president Alvaro Colom (the president of Guatemala).
After I read this article I feel sorry for Guatemalans people. I think what the US did to Guatemalans was very cruel. Why do they have to use powerless people from another country for their experiment? I think it is not a very good idea and it is huge mistake for them. Many people against to animal experiment because it is morally wrong and bad effect to animals. How can the US have done this to humans? Even Obama has apologised for the medical test, but they cannot change the feeling of people who were infected from the experiment. I think we just hope it will not happen again. I hope the US government does not have many other secrets that have not been published yet which are as bad or worse than this one.
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It seems terrible. I think that experiment with human is only the fiction on the science series, but it is real and it has rolled very long time. That experiment shows that the US has disregarded human rights deeply. I think is not only responsibility of the government and it also citizens’ responsibility,who did not concern that policy even if it was a secret policy.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is the wrong thing that they do with the innocent people. On the other hand, in the crisis situation that people need a vaccine to protect themselves from the disease, what should the medical officials do for producing the vaccine. If we can do another way instead of using guinea pig, It is the best thing, but if we do not have choices, is it possible to find people who decide to be guinea pig?
ReplyDeleteAlmost everything about this is awful. Not only were such immoral experiments done, but, according to the article they "ran from 1932 to 1972," (last ¶) which is not a short time. I'm not sure whether or not it's even worse that "the Guatemalan government gave permission for the tests" (¶ 6).
ReplyDeleteEven though the Guatemalan government of the time gave permission, that does not and cannot make such acts right. As President Obama said in his apology, such acts are "contrary to American values" (¶ 3). Thankfully, the US's values are generally good, certainly much better than the often immoral values of other countries, but something went seriously wrong in this case - it the experimenters thought that such experiments were OK, they should have done them on American citizens, not have exported their evil actions to another willing government that was happy to let its citizens be abused this way.
The only good thing I can see is that the truth has come out because of the respect which the US does generally accord to the right to free speech - even if it upsets a lot of powerful officials and makes the country look bad. Perhaps the lesson is that governments, especially the military, should not be trusted too much or allowed to keep things too secret.
I think Gift made a good suggestion: when an experimental procedure needs to be tested, the right way to go about it is to ask people for permission to try it on them. The experiments were to test the efficacy of penicillin, and that could have been done easily by offering the treatment to willing American citizens who had contracted syphilis or gonorrhoea from sex. I'm sure that there has never been a shortage of Americans, or any other people, in that unhappy situation.
ReplyDeleteI think this news make all of us feel sympathy for all victims of these kind of experiments. Because it's not happen only in Guatemala and not only for gonorrhoea and syphilis but it's tested on others undevelopment countries. It's the best way to make it fast for launching their medicine to the market, the best way to get approval from their health organization.
ReplyDeleteSometime we have to accept that and we are very little person and less power in the world, how can we fight with a big and powerful country like USA?
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ReplyDeleteI also have one logic when someone’s outspoken in 500% good. On the other hand they will make a huge difference. The US always try to be the world’s police by giving the standard to every country but in this case the US makes a huge mistake by moral.
ReplyDeleteFor President Obama’s apology, It can not help dead people to be alive but it’s only one way that he can do. But I expect the US showing the best way to express in numerous responsibilities.
Although I think it is completely morally wrong for such behavior from US governent; on the other hand, I pretend to stand in US side and give some minutes to consider that why US government have done like that and I found an answer whether is true or not. Maybe, US government have no choice because such medical can't affect to another amateur except human;therefore, in order to get the new medicine to cure some violent diseases, they have to test such drugs with some people before bring to use with patient.
ReplyDeleteNet, (@ October 4, 2010 9:04 PM)
ReplyDeleteAccording to your commented above that you pretend to stand on US side. Your idea that "maybe, US government have no choice because such medical can't affect to another amateur except human". So, why don't they test on their own citizen who has gonorrhoea or syphilis.
Apple
ReplyDeleteI have no idea but I assume that, US government look down to that people and think such people are lower than their citizen and I think whoever is the recipients they are victim.