downtoearth-subscribe

The Guatemala sexually transmitted disease studies: What happened

In September, 2010, the public and medical communities were stunned by the disclosure of syphilis and other sexually transmitted disease studies conducted in 1946 to 1948 by the US Public Health Service in Guatemala, after being hidden for more than 60 years. The ensuing controversy and public embarrassment resulted in an acknowledgement of major ethical transgressions and an official public apology to Guatemala from President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Clinton (NY Times October 1, 2010).