In the name of advancing the public good, protecting Americans from dangerous diseases, in the mid twentieth century, certain humans became guinea pigs. It used largely marginalized groups like people in mental institutions, often times children, who became subjects of science experiments. In her new book Dangerous Medicine: The Story Behind Human Experiments with Hepatitis, Sydney A. Halpern reveals the inner workings of the experiment involving some 3700 subjects, many of whom experienced ill effects of the disease. It was framed as serving the greater good, invoking patriotism and national defense. Instead of hiding their research as was done, Halpern suggests scientists rely on transparency for the future.

 

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