Tuskegee Study of Syphilis

The Tuskegee Study of Syphilis was a 40-year research project conducted from 1932 to 1972 by the U.S. government. It involved observing untreated syphilis in African American men in Alabama. Participants were not informed they had the disease and were denied treatment, even after penicillin became available in the 1940s. The study aimed to understand the disease's natural progression but was unethical because it exploited vulnerable individuals, denied them effective care, and caused harm. The scandal led to increased protections for research participants and greater awareness about ethical standards in medical research.