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> Many had been told the cocktail contained some combination of vitamins meant to benefit them and their children—a bald lie (Thomas 2007, p. 39). In fact, the

> Many had been told the cocktail contained some combination of vitamins meant to benefit them and their children—a bald lie (Thomas 2007, p. 39). In fact, the drinks given to the pregnant women contained various doses of the radioactive isotopes iron-55 and iron-59. In their study with the pregnant women scientists hoped to determine if the radioactive iron would cross the placenta—it did. Not long after the women drank the “vitamin cocktail” they thought would help with fetal development, radioactive material began circulating in the blood of their children (Welsome 1999, p. 221). Like Helen, many of the other women and their babies experienced disastrous health effects—fatigue, hair loss, bruising, and swelling were common. Both the women and their children developed cancers. Research conducted years later found a causal relationship between the women’s radiation exposure and the subsequent health problems that plagued their children That's ... uh, I guess medical ethical reviews were invented sometime in the late 50's then?

sammalloy 4y ago
> I guess medical ethical reviews were invented sometime in the late 50’s then. In the late 1970s, actually, and yet they weren’t put into standard practice across the board in every medical field until the 1990s in the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_subject_research_legislation_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_subject_research_legisla... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Report https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Report
- mandmandam 4y ago
  As TFA states, this was all explicitly against the Nuremburg code signed in 1947. > The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. > It should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation.
  - Dah00n 4y ago
    But we know that it was a rule only made for the losers. The US didn't uphold itself to those rules. It still doesn't today.
    - tohnjitor 4y ago
      Some of the losers were whisked away to American military bases, and subsequently smuggled back into Germany to stand trial. See Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen.

sammalloy 4y ago

> I guess medical ethical reviews were invented sometime in the late 50’s then. In the late 1970s, actually, and yet they weren’t put into standard practice across the board in every medical field until the 1990s in the US. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_subject_research_legislation_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_subject_research_legisla... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Report https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Report

mandmandam 4y ago
As TFA states, this was all explicitly against the Nuremburg code signed in 1947. > The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision. > It should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation.
- Dah00n 4y ago
  But we know that it was a rule only made for the losers. The US didn't uphold itself to those rules. It still doesn't today.
  - tohnjitor 4y ago
    Some of the losers were whisked away to American military bases, and subsequently smuggled back into Germany to stand trial. See Operation Paperclip by Annie Jacobsen.