Ethical Issues of Human Test Subjects Essay - 1215 Words

Ethical Issues of Human Test Subjects As we achieve burgeons of new technologies, we must also face the irreprehensible sacrifices. The old scientific adage reminds us that no trial can go without error. Many of the present day technologies may prove beneficial but the processes of development and discovery often come at high prices. Countless experiments have been conducted in the names of science and the advancement of mankind. Regardless of their outcomes, these experiments require some form of a test subject. Any life sustaining test subject has been the root of many ethical issues, with human test subjects being one of the most controversial. Granted the advantageous products of labor, the definition for what we, as moral†¦show more content†¦So little was known about plutonium, uranium, and the like. But thermal and chemical reactions provided some insight into the strength of their capabilities. In order for scientists to properly understand their force, experiments would have to be conducted. A Case Study: Radioactive Tests At Fernald State School: During the 1940s to 1950s, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Fernald State School in Waverly, Massachusetts collaborated on a experiment testing the effects of radioactive iron on human subjects. Researchers performed a â€Å"non-therapeutic nutritional studies with radioisotopes at the state school† (1) for the mentally retarded. The project, also funded by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, was initially addressed as for â€Å"addressing calcium metabolism.†(2) The test subjects, â€Å"young male residents of Fernald, who were members of the schools ‘science club’,† were daily fed micro curies of a radioisotope of calcium (Ca-45) in their cereal. They were also given milk daily and had blood, urine, and excrement samples taken accordingly to measure the calcium retention in their bodies. Several other experiments also included the oral or ingested intake of radioactive iodine. The amount of daily intake was considerably lo w and none of the experimental participants wereShow MoreRelatedHuman Primates : The Appropriate Subjects Of Biomedical Research Essay1539 Words   |  7 Pagesarticle, â€Å"Non-Human primates: the appropriate subjects of biomedical research?† discusses the ethical issue of whether or not we should be using non-human primates in biomedical research. Throughout this article, Quigley raises the question is it ethical to perform testing on non-human primates? 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