The decision on the ethics of this experiment isn't up to us, nor was it up to the researchers. It should have been left to an IRB for an approval, which most l

The decision on the ethics of this experiment isn't up to us, nor was it up to the researchers. It should have been left to an IRB for an approval, which most likely wouldn't have approved of this research in its current state. The lack of oversight is the problem. Because now it calls into question the work of the grad students, the papers sponsor who oversaw the work, the department, and the school as a whole. It is a significant damage to their reputation. At some of the research places, doing unapproved research is grounds for immediate termination, regardless of tenure. As for the students, they would have been investigated, most likely expelled for ignoring protocol or denied their credits for the semesters the research took placed and put on academic probation. The department as a whole would also be looked into.