Medical Research Gone Wrong

Every once in a while ugly truths sneak out from under the carpets of time, history, politics, science, and even the current ‘sacred cows’ within the medical domain. Facts that are uncovered result from dogged dedication that overtakes those who have seen the “light of day” and wish to share unknown histories with others who, in turn, can become empowered by that hidden knowledge. Such dedication to revealing the secret history of medical experimentation on children in Cold War United States became a reality in 2013 when authors Allen M. Hornblum, Judith L. Newman, and Gregory J. Dober published their phenomenal book, Against Their Will, The Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War America.

Against Their Will offers a full menu of chapters dealing with medical research transpiring in the Cold War era, e.g., lobotomy, electroshock treatments, LSD-radiation-candy to induce cavities-ringworm-administered to children, thalidomide, DES given to pregnant women, plus other research for anyone interested.

Since this writer is a consumer health researcher for almost 40 years and counting, she reads anything she can get her hands on to establish bases for scientific fact, hype, or spin since much of the information given to the public is sanitized in order to comply with certain rudiments for proselytization and acceptance as ‘gospel truth’ by consumers with little training in medical issues and no time nor apparent inclination for learning the scientific facts.