When it comes to medicine, treatment, and vaccines, it is crucial that research and clinical trials are done.
A clinical trial is a way for scientists and the public to know if a new drug or vaccine works the way it's intended to and what are the possible side effects.
Because of the nature of clinical trials, a lot of discourse goes into research ethics. The ethics that are now in place for clinical trials result from a history of past abuses, with some trials, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, becoming the blueprint for what not to do in a clinical trial. Trials like the aforementioned serve as a reminder of the unethical practices that are done in the guise of scientific research. Study participants and those who trust that the medicine or vaccines are safe are the ones who suffer.
There are cases of clinical trials with ethical issues that have helped put in stricter guidelines for researchers. One that is widely known is the Milgram Obedience Study, wherein the research was done using deception and lack of protection for the participants. The participants experienced severe emotional distress. Their right to withdraw from the study was not exercised. This opened up discussions on the ethics of the experiment. Participants should always be told the real nature of the study they're partaking in.
Another clinical trial that had ethical issues is the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Similar to the Milgram Obedience Study, this research violated the rights of the participants. During that time, a treatment for syphilis was already available but was withheld from those who needed it for the sole purpose of the study. It was after this disastrous study that the government changed research practices to ensure that participants's rights were exercised during such trials. With the increase in clinical trials, more ethical practices are set in place, but it's not guaranteed that those doing trials will follow the standards to the dot.
Although Depo-Provera is a widely used contraceptive, it wasn't always greenlighted for such use. Depo-Provera was first introduced in the United States as a medicine in 1959. However, it was not tested in compliance with the guidelines and procedures of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Depo-Provera was used as a medicine to manage menstruation. Additionally, judges used Depo-Provera as one of the possible conditions for the probation of sex offenders, as it is known to suppress or control unwanted sexual behavior.
It was only in 1992 that Depo-Provera was approved for contraceptive use. Before this, the FDA denied its approval twice because of its links to breast tumors and cervical cancer. However, Depo-Provera advocates pointed out that the risks were only found in animals, not humans because the trials for the contraceptive were done on beagle dogs.
It is important for any research about medicine, treatments, and vaccines to be transparent. The public has every right to know if the medicines they're taking are safe and tested ethically. There should be no place for deception. The unethical cases of the Tuskegee and Milgram studies, as well as the case of Depo-Provera, highlight the dangers of rushing drug development and disregarding ethics.
As a participant in a clinical trial, it is important that you exercise your rights. Remember that you have the right to informed consent and the right to withdraw anytime you feel uncomfortable. If you also believe that you suffered because you have been wrongly informed about a medicine's research, side effects, or information, you may be entitled to compensation.