Ethical Issues in “Prison Experiments” Video Essay

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The video presents an interview with Allen Hornblum, who witnessed human experiments in Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia, and Yusef Anthony, who was a subject of these unethical experiments. African-American prisoners were the affected party since their participation in testing was not voluntary. Hornblum notes that such medical experiments were widespread in many prisons of the US during the Cold War period (Wpsu, 2009). Inmates were a cheap resource for clinical trials of pharmaceutical, chemical, and cosmetics companies, and the fact that the prison system allowed it violated ethical principles of non-maleficence and autonomy. The subjects did not give informed consents to participate in experiments, while they were regarded as “secondary” persons, who have no unconditional worth. Scientists used bandages and forced subjects to take drugs against their will, while money was a motivating factor for those who were desperate to survive, which violated the prisoners’ right to make moral decisions. In addition, a lack of appropriate treatment of inmates indicated the failure to follow a justice principle.

To resolve the identified ethical issues and prevent them in the future, it is critical to ensure that the subjects are not placed in coercive environments and a vulnerable position as it significantly impacts their decisions. Another solution refers to making universities and other organizations conducting research responsible for the subjects by providing the necessary aftercare, if required. In the video, Anthony states that they were given papers clarifying that the University of Pennsylvania is not responsible, but researchers convinced inmates that all materials are safe. Human experimentation in prisons remains a topic of debates, while ethical issues undermine the trust of people in a medical community. In hospital settings, scientific investigations should follow the principles of beneficence to patients, respect for their autonomy, and distributive justice.

Reference

Wpsu. (2009). Prison experiments [Video]. YouTube. Web.

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