Officials apologize for US syphilis study

October 2, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

MEXICO CITY

Exposing a dark page in its history, the U.S. government acknowledged Friday that government scientists had infected some 1,500 Guatemalans with syphilis and gonorrhea in experiments from 1946 to 1948 in “appalling violations” of medical ethics.

U.S. scientists infected prostitutes with syphilis or gonorrhea and sent them to have unprotected sex with soldiers or prison inmates, later testing them for possible cures, U.S. officials said.

When few became infected, scientists turned to patients at a mental-health hospital, exposing them to infection by rubbing it on their genitals.

None of the subjects was informed about the study or offered consent, U.S. officials said. At least one patient is known to have died.

“Although these events occurred more than 64 years ago, we are outraged that such reprehensible research could have occurred under the guise of public health,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a joint statement.

“We deeply regret that it happened, and we apologize to all the individuals who were affected by such abhorrent research practices.”