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SECRECY AND MEDICAL EXPERIMENTATION ON PRISONERS - A CASE STUDY OF THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SUPPRESSION IN THE REPRESSION AND EXPLOITATION OF PEOPLE

NCJ Number
17232
Author(s)
L BURGER; M L BUNDY
Date Published
1974
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS IS A REPORT OF A CASE STUDY WHICH ATTEMPTS TO SHOW HOW THE GOVERNMENTS, BY WITHHOLDING VITAL INFORMATION, SEEKS TO CONTINUE REPRESSIVE AND EXPLOITATIVE PROGRAMS IN ITS CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM IN QUESTION TESTS NEW VACCINES DEVELOPED AGAINST SUCH INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS CHOLERA, MALARIA AND TYPHOID ON INMATES AT THE MARYLAND HOUSE OF CORRECTION AT JESSUP, MD. INMATE PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN THE EXPERIMENTAL VACCINE; A PERIOD OF TIME IS ALLOWED FOR IT TO TAKE EFFECT; THEN THEY ARE INFECTED WITH A DISEASE. COMPARISONS ARE MADE BETWEEN A CONTROL GROUP WHICH DID NOT RECEIVE THE PROTECTIVE VACCINE AND THOSE WHO RECEIVED IT. THE INVESTIGATORS INFERRED THAT THE PRISONERS WERE BEING COERCED INTO PARTICIAPTION BY THE PAY (2 DOLLARS FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM V. 65 CENTS FOR NORMAL PRISON LABOR PER DAY). INVESTIGATORS WERE UNABLE TO GET INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT FROM THOSE SOURCES WHICH COULD BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION.