Ethical Management Paper Willowbrook Hepatitis Experiments

Willowbrook Hepatitis Experiments

Medical Ethics & Leadership Ph410-T301

Unethical medical experiments are conducted when people are unaware of the experiment or it takes place in a setting where individuals cannot voice their rights. These experiments consisted of terminally ill and incompetent patients, who could not physically stand up for themselves. This was a selfish act from cruel people, who believed the disable or poor people were not going to live a long life. According to Stobee, “When you give somebody a disease even by the standards of their time you really cross the key ethical norm of the profession (NBC News, 2011),” In other words, this type of conduct violates the medical principle “do no harm” and patient rights. In 1956, at the Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York lived mentally retarded children. They were given hepatitis in an attempt to track the development of the viral infection. According to Human Experimentations, “The study began in 1956 and lasted for 14 years and the researcher wanted to determine the effectiveness of gamma globulin injections as protection against hepatitis (Pecorino, 2002).” This case was morally wrong because, they were performing it on mental children who could not benefit from the experiment. The parents were told that in order for their kids to be admitted is through the hepatitis unit. Since this was an unethical medical experiment, I would like to focus my research on the history of the experiment, ways to defend it from happening, and the consent form from the patient’s parents.

Willowbrook Experiment History

To continue the history of this horrible act, this experiment was considered to be mild against children who were infected. The researchers speculated they could use goblin gamma antibodies taken from the patient’s hepatitis blood and use it to create an immunity in other kids. “Krugman thought that if a child was infected with hepatitis after he or she had been injected with these protective antibodies, a mild case of hepatitis would result, and the child would have long-lasting protection against future, potentially more serious, infections (Rothman, 1984).” The experiment consisted of two groups: the children that were already at the hospital and newly admitted children. The current children were placed in two groups; the experimental group in which consisted of those injected with the protective antibiotic and the control group of those who were not injected. The second group of the newly admitted children were injected with the protective antibodies, and they were infected with the virus by other infected kids. The children that were not infected were in the control group and they were separated from all the other kids. They were placed in a clean facility and received special care. While researching, they noticed there were two strains of Hepatitis: Hepatitis A, spreads when a person places something in their mouth that is contaminated through the feces of the infected person and Hepatitis B, in which Hepatitis B was difficult to pass and could only be contracted through the blood or having sex. According to Rothman, “The children who were deliberately infected with hepatitis A virus had a mild reaction (a swollen liver, yellowing of the skin and eyes, and a few days of vomiting and not eating) and children who naturally got hepatitis from other children had worse symptoms than those who got it from the study (Education Development Center, 1984).”

Defending Behavior and Four Medical Principles

After researching, I did not find any ways to defend the unethical experiment from happening. However, I think there could be numerous ways to defend this experiment from happening; like having an ethical committee team available to investigate. An ethical committee investigate and approve certain experiments within a facility. Another way to prevent this experiment from happening in a mental school is having an ethical person over the facility. When researchers are allowed to conduct certain experiments, they must appear before the board to be approved. It is unethical and unjustifiable to do such research on children who cannot defend themselves. All of the four medical principles were broken in this case. The patients were children and their autonomy was based off their rights, not their parents. The best interest of the child and justice was not into play once the researchers injected the patients because they could not say no. There was no beneficence and non-maleficence in the experiment because it caused harmed to the children and the intent from the researcher was not good. According to Human Experimentations, “Every patient has a right to be treated decently by physicians–i.e., every physician has an obligation first and foremost to the patient. The patient’s right supersedes every consideration about what would benefit humanity (Pecorino, 2002).”

Parent Consents for the Experiment

Prior to the beginning of the experiment, consent forms were given to parents and obtained for each child. However, the parents of children that participated early in the experiment gave consent after receiving oral and written information from Willowbrook. On the other hand, parents of children that participated later gave consent after meeting with the research staff, discussing the research with other parents and staff members, speaking with their private physicians, and taking a tour of the facility. According to Education Development Center the letter that was given to parents on November 15, 1958, reflected this, “Dear Mrs. __________: We are studying the possibility of preventing epidemics of hepatitis on a new principle. The virus is introduced and gamma globulin given later to some so that either no attack or only a mild attack of hepatitis is expected to follow. This may give the children immunity against this disease for life. We should like to give your child this new form of prevention with the hope that it will afford protection. The permission form is enclosed for your consideration. If you wish to have your children given the benefit of this new preventive, will you so signify by signing the form (Rothman, 1984)?” After reading this letter we can determine the researchers told the parents about the experiment, but they did not tell them the kids that were infected would be infected for life with the virus.

Conclusion

For all we know, unethical experiments conducted are unlawful and do not apply to the four medical principles. These experiments consisted of terminally ill and incompetent patients, who could not physically stand up for themselves. Based on our discussion “what they don’t know, won’t hurt them.” I learned that in the case of the Willowbrook mental children in 1956, the researchers had the same mentality. The children were mentally retarded and were given hepatitis in an attempt to track the development of the viral infection. This case was morally wrong because, they were performing it on human beings who could not benefit from the experiment. The parents were told that in order for their kids to be admitted is through the hepatitis unit and signed consent forms for the experiment. However, the children are individuals and they should be able to make decisions for themselves. No matter if you are disabled, mental, or in a setting where your rights are limited, you should be treated the same as any normal person. Do no harm is an ethical principle that is very serious under patient rights. It is important to make sure any experiment is used for a good intent and serves as a great outcome for patients.

Reference

Rothman, D. Rothman, S. (1984). Education Development Center. The Willowbrook Wars Cambridge: Harper Collins

Retrieved From: https://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih9/bioethics/guide/pdf/master_5-4.pdf

Pecorino, P. (2002). Human Experimentations. Case: Willowbrook Experiments

Retrieved From: http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/MEDICAL_ETHICS_TEXT/Chapter_7_Human_Experimentation/Case_Study_Willowbrook_Experiments.htm

Stobee, M. (2011). NBC News. Ugly Past of US Human Experiments Uncovered.

Retrieved From: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41811750/ns/health-health_care/t/ugly-past-us-human-experiments-uncovered/#.VhBTEjhdGpohttp://www.nbcnews.com/id/41811750/ns/health-health_care/t/ugly-past-us-human-experiments-uncovered/#.VhBTEjhdGpo