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What Is The Reason Behind The Tuskegee Syphilis Study?

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The movie Miss Ever’s Boys is a film adaption of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in 1932. The film’s main objective was to explore the reason behind the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The study was an experiment to see the effects of untreated syphilis in black men in Macon, Georgia (Jones, 1981, pg 1). In the beginning of the film both doctors represented stated how syphilis was increasing among African Americans across the country and how treatment for this disease was needed. In 1932 there was no full proof treatment that worked to cure syphilis instead there were methods used such as mercury rubs to help assist with the effects of syphilis. One of the reasons attentions was being placed on syphilis was because there was a great concern that the …show more content…

Brogus an African American doctor in the film worked alongside a white doctor, Dr. Douglas who both worked together in getting funds to treat men with syphilis. Ms. Evers a nurse at Tuskegee hospital was asked to come on board to assist in getting men to be a part of the program that will treat their syphilis and provide government funded health care for those who became a part of the program. However none of these men were informed that they had syphilis instead it was referred to as “bad blood”. “The term bad blood was coined to falsely depict their medical condition. The men were told that they were ill and promised free care. Offered therapy on a golden platter, they became willing subjects”.(Ogunburg) One of the main ethical issues that was raised in this film and through this study was that the participants were not informed that they had syphilis and what syphilis was. “Deceiving people is unethical” (Babbes, Rubin, 2011, pg. 83) and throughout the study, the participants were being treated unethically because the researchers and the doctors deceived the men into thinking syphilis was treatable and not as serious as it really was by minimizing the impact syphilis had on their bodies. Due to lack of education and economic status the participants in this study were easy to influence. Miss.Eunice Rivers who character in the movie was Miss Evers was a significant part in the study because she was used to be that point person for the men to get them to agree to be

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