6 super shady human experiments that the government literally admitted to, like it wasn’t fake news

In 1932, the United States Public Health Service initiated a study with the Tuskegee Institute to “record the natural history of syphilis.” The study began with 600 black men, 399 who were confirmed to have syphilis, 201 who were not (the control group), and none of whom gave informed consent. Project researchers told these men they were being treated for “bad blood” (which, at the time, could mean several different illnesses) in exchange for free medical exams, meals, and funeral insurance. . Mind you, we’re talking mostly about poor, black, illiterate sharecroppers who, of course, were happy to learn that they would receive benefits they could only dream of.

In 1943, on the backs of these unknowing black men, penicillin undoubtedly became the drug of choice to help treat syphilis; however, none of the men in this trial received, or were offered, the drug to cure their syphilis. In 1972, Associated Press reporter Jean Heller revealed that a 40-year study had been conducted on unwitting black men in rural areas of the South on their ability to handle untreated syphilis. Dozens of men died, and to top it off, they never told anyone how syphilis could be contracted and spread. Many of the men’s wives, girlfriends and children had also been infected.

The study was quickly halted in 1972 after word spread; 40 years after its debut. In 1973, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of all participants, resulting in an out-of-court settlement (in my opinion, not substantial enough) of $10 million. In 1975, the participants and their wives, widows, and children were part of the Tuskegee Health Benefits Program, which provided all necessary medical care to those involved in the experiment. In 1997, President Bill Clinton issued a formal presidential apology for the “study.”

The last “participant” in the experiment died in January 2004 and the last widow receiving benefits died in 2009. The participants’ children continue to receive health benefits and medical care.