Abstract

KIE: In 1967, Pappworth expanded a 1962 journal article on unethical experiments with human subjects into a book, Human Guinea Pigs: Experimentation on Man (Routledge). Here Pappworth describes the impetus behind his controversial article and book, and the reaction to both from the British media, the British medical establishment, the Ministry of Health, and Parliament. He discusses the effectiveness of ethical codes, editorial policies, and research ethics committees in safeguarding human subjects from overzealous or unethical researchers. He warns of the need for all those involved in human experimentation -- researchers, their units, ethics committees, editors of medical journals -- to tighten the self regulatory mechanisms in place lest public reaction to unethical research bring on legal sanctions.