Miss Evers boys

Question

Using the definition of ethics as a guide, list some unethical decisions made throughout the movie.

Answer 1

Several deeply unethical choices were made throughout "Miss Evers' Boys" - yielding everyone except the victimized men as guilty.

Deception and Lack of Informed Consent:

1. The researchers deliberately misled participants about the true nature of the study, telling them they were receiving treatment for "bad blood" rather than being observed while untreated for syphilis
2. Participants were never informed they had syphilis or that effective treatment (penicillin) became available during the study
3. The men were denied the right to make informed decisions about their own healthcare

Withholding Treatment:

1. Even after penicillin was proven effective for treating syphilis, researchers continued the study without providing treatment to participants
2. The ethical principle of "do no harm" was completely violated as researchers allowed preventable suffering and death

Exploitation of Vulnerable Populations:

1. The study deliberately targeted poor, uneducated African American men in rural Alabama who lacked access to healthcare and education about their condition
2. Researchers exploited racial and economic inequalities, knowing participants had limited options and resources

Nurse Evers' Complicity:

1. Despite her genuine care for the men, Nurse Evers participated in the deception by maintaining the lie about "bad blood" treatment
2. Her loyalty to the study ultimately prioritized research goals over patient welfare and basic human rights

Institutional Racism:

1. The entire study was premised on racist assumptions about African American men's sexuality and health
2. The medical establishment's willingness to sacrifice Black lives for research data represents systemic ethical failure

These decisions violated fundamental ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice that should guide all human research and medical practice.