US Govt "Tested Drugs On Patients Without Their Knowledge"

The US government has tested unproved drugs on unknowing Americans,according to a four-part series in the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. The research showed that US test subjects were either not told about or not fully informed about 63% of all medical research identified by the newspaper as government-sponsored during 1977-95.

The Plain Dealer analysed Food and Drug Administration records of inspections on areas of government medical research, finding that consent forms were either unclear or missing. Among other findings were that:

- at least 1,000 Americans in 23 states took part in medical research without required evidence that they not only consented by that they were fully informed of the risks;