Tuskegee ‘Infamous’ Study

I attended Good Clinical (Trial) Practice course over the last few days and I learnt a few interesting facts and events that led to the development of current protocols on medical studies and patients’ protection.

TUSKEGEE SYPHILIS STUDY 1932-1972
Year 1932, in Tuskegee, Alabama, US Public Health Service initiated a study to determine the natural course of untreated syphilis.
Of course, these ‘objectives’ were not that clearly spelled out for the 400 already infected + 200 not infected (control) subjects recruited for the study. These black people were poor, vulnerable, don’t know what syphilis is and don’t know they are having it or not. With inadequate information and human respect, these subjects were led into believing that they were getting free treatment, and enticed with assurance of meals, burial insurance,etc.

The bigger problem appeared later. Year 1947, ta-dah. Penicillin became available and penicillin IS the treatment of syphilis.Uh-oh, researchers faced cross road. This Tuskegee became (in)famous today because at that point of time, researchers/authorities decided that completion of the study as per achieving the objectives is more important than treating these blacks and terminating the study just like that. So they withhold treatment from the subjects.

The damage? 28 died of syphilis, 100 others due to related complications, infected wives and babies born with syplilis. This went on until whistle blowers leaked the story to the press, led to protest and finally termination of the study.
Year 1997, Clinton made a presidential apology.

Studies like this (including Nuremberg Trial 1947) rang alarms on human rights and patients protection, leading to Declaration of Helsinki 1964 (rev 2008), Belmont Report 1979, etc.

On a different note, I cannot deny how important clinical trials are, because every single piece of tablet/ capsule/ injections had gone through trials before deemed safe (or not) and ended up in our medication shelf at home~ And today, a proper clinical trial is structured to protect the patients. That’s why a 3 days course on Good Clinical Practice for potential researchers. That also covers the very basics only =) Every studies involving human subjects must be registered and obtained ethical clearance.
And on another different note, if anyone has a chance to participate in a study, read the fine prints, check the protection and consider going for it =)

expensive lesson

where r u?

I received this text and so began the saga. I called Mark (not his real name) to find out what’s up, and he rejected my call.


Text please, don’t call
What’s going on?
Do you have RM 200 with you now?
What is happening here?!? Tell me. Are you in trouble?
Do you trust me?


Mark is like a little brother to me. I trust him. In fact, I know and trust his family. His sister and his parents are decent people, nice folks. I love them. So of course, I trust Mark. But RM 200 is so much!


I wasn’t at peace. I was worried that Mark got into trouble. So I called Mark’s sister to at least know where Mark is. Midst of tuition. Perhaps that’s why phone call is not an option. I hung up quickly.

Can you go 7-11 now to buy r100 mol-points 2pcs? Urgent. I promise to pay you back later.

Mol-points? What the heck is mol-points? As I was outside having dinner, a truly disturbing one, with all these going on, I texted a friend to find out what on earth is mol-points.
Her reply came soon enough. Facebook points, or game credits.


I knocked my own head upon knowing this. Glad it was not some illegal or dangerous stuff. But a quick realization dawned on me… Mark did have a problem with Online Poker games. Did he involve money in his games? Did he borrow money from friends and lost them all?

I texted him.


Dude, be fair. I trust you, you trust me. You tell me what is going on first.
I’ll explain everything later.
Ok, I trust Mark. But I need to know if Mark’s there. Name me 10 books from the Bible.


No reply.
I wasn’t at peace. What is going on with Mark?
I texted him again.


Will you tell me what’s going on if I get you rm100?
Ok. Please be quick

Cut a long story short, without much delay. I went to 7-11, forked out RM50 x 2 pieces, bought the ?mol-points, received weird look from the 7-11 cashier, and sent the serial number to Mark.

Can or not, bro?
Your message cannot be reached because the phone 01xxxx is friggin’ switched off

What…? Mark, you better call me up later and explain everything soon.

An hour and half later…. Mark’s sister called. And told me that… Mark lost his handphone earlier that day…

ARGHHHHHHHH

I slumped on my bed, feeling like the biggest fool in the whole wide world.
I. am. so. stupid !!

I trusted Mark, and he is a trustable person. Just that… the person is not Mark at all ! (Yeah, but I trusted him). Yeah, but that is NOT Mark !

I was upset, so I didn’t talk about this for a few days. Now, I’m over it. Lessons bought with RM 100
1. I should stick to my 2 trust tests. He must tell me what is going on, and he must tell me 10 books from Bible. The time pressure clouded my thinking
2. mol-points, my foot. A person can’t lose more money than he has. He can’t be possibly owing money.
3. I was the fastest target coz my name starts with A
4. I am glad I didn’t lose RM 200
5. I am glad Mark (the real one) is alright, not into all the mol-points rubbish, being a good boy in tuition classes, not in any trouble. I am glad.
6. The other punk… I have 2 choices.
i) God, bring down fire from heaven and punish him!!! (*baring teeth!)
ii) God, forgive him. He knows not what he is doing…

Just to share this to all of you, so that no one repeat my mistake. Be careful where you put your trust, even when it’s sincere.