LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman. Winner 2013 Webby Awards for Best Political Website
May 22, 2013

 Choose a size
Text Size

Trending:     chris hedges     economy     elizabeth warren     politics     robert scheer
Most Read

Lock Up Washington

Rise Up or Die

Revenge of the Bear: Russia Strikes Back in Syria

How America Became a Third World Country: 2013-2023

California Man Sues Officers He Says Nearly Beat Him to Death

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * The Path of Hubris and War
 * NEW! * Glaciers Are Melting Slowly but Surely
 * NEW! * How America Became a Third World Country: 2013-2023

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture
Act of Congress
Daily Rituals
The Girls of Atomic City

Digs

Truthdig Bazaar
Delta Blues

Delta Blues

By Ted Gioia
$18.45

The Case for God

The Case for God

By Karen Armstrong
$18.45

more items

 
Ear to the Ground

U.S. Apologizes for Infecting Guatemalans With STDs

Email this item Email    Print this item Print    Share this item... Share

Posted on Oct 1, 2010
Wikimedia Commons

A poster on a curbside mailbox advises World War II servicemen with gonorrhea to seek medical treatment.

More than 60 years after the fact, the U.S. has finally gotten around to officially apologizing for a government research study that purposely infected Guatemalans with sexually transmitted diseases to gauge the effectiveness of penicillin treatments.

The study echoes the infamous Tuskegee Experiment, where the U.S. government studied more than 400 poor African-Americans with syphilis, withholding treatment to track how the disease progressed. —JCL

CNN:

The United States apologized Friday for a 1946-1948 research study that purposely infected people in Guatemala with sexually transmitted diseases.

A statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called the action “reprehensible.”

“We deeply regret that it happened, and we apologize to all the individuals who were affected by such abhorrent research practices,” the joint statement said. “The conduct exhibited during the study does not represent the values of the United States, or our commitment to human dignity and great respect for the people of Guatemala.”

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.

By berniem, October 2, 2010 at 11:18 am Link to this comment

To paraphrase Sarah, “How’s that Proud To Be An American thing workin’ out for Ya?”

Report this

By Carl, October 2, 2010 at 10:28 am Link to this comment

The U.S. Government is not a person, it didn’t do anything. A few people working for our government did this. What are their names? Have they been arrested? Why not?

Report this
Arabian Sinbad's avatar

By Arabian Sinbad, October 1, 2010 at 10:11 pm Link to this comment

This so-called apology coming 60 years after the occurrence of this terrorist crime by an American government is hollow and meaningless for its victims since they can’t take it to a bank of justice.

However,the apology has one positive aspect to it since it reveals to Americans one of the many secret crimes perpetrated by their governments in their names and with their tax-payers’ money.

The infamous Tuskegee Experiment coupled with this latest Guatemala revelation, and only an Omniscient God knows how many other secret crimes not revealed yet, confirm that the 9/11 plot was an inside job, planned and executed by our government agencies as a necessary prelude for the wars that followed. Our governments, like the case with all governments operate under the evil principle that “means justify the ends.”

America will never be a light unto the nations unless and until agencies such as the CIA and the FBI are abolished, and secrets in the name of national security are treated for what they are: a cover to commit crimes against humanity.

Report this

By Bisbonian, October 1, 2010 at 7:51 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

“The conduct exhibited during the study does not represent the values of the United States, or our commitment to human dignity and great respect for the people of Guatemala.”

Yes it does.

Report this

By Virginia from Virginia, October 1, 2010 at 1:26 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Apologies for evil, despicable acts don’t really cut it.  Ask those who suffered and died.

When will the U.S. apologize to the Iraqis who have suffered and died and are displaced for our evil attack on their country?

Report this
Newsletter

sign up to get updates


 
 
 
 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.