In 1932, the U.S. Public Health Service began what was meant to be a six-month study in Macon County, Alabama. Researchers led by Dr. Taliaferro Clark enrolled 600 Black men, most of them poor sharecroppers who had never seen a doctor. 399 of these men had syphilis. They were never told their real diagnosis. Instead, they were told they had 'bad blood'—a local term for many sicknesses—and were receiving free treatment from the government. The men believed they were being cared for, but the study's secret purpose was to observe the progression of untreated syphilis until death. The initial six-month observation would extend for forty years. How could such a deception be maintained for so long?
The Tuskegee Syphilis Study
For 40 years, a US government study withheld syphilis treatment from hundreds of Black men in Alabama, telling them they had 'bad blood'.
Chapter 1
Bad Blood
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study?
It was a 40-year study by the U.S. Public Health Service, from 1932 to 1972. Researchers observed the effects of untreated syphilis in 399 Black men in Alabama, telling them they were being treated for 'bad blood' while providing only placebos.
How was the Tuskegee Study exposed?
In 1972, a former U.S. Public Health Service employee named Peter Buxtun leaked documents about the study to Associated Press reporter Jean Heller. Her front-page story caused national outrage and forced the government to terminate the experiment.
What were the long-term consequences of the study?
The study resulted in numerous deaths, the infection of spouses, and children born with congenital syphilis. Its exposure led to a class-action lawsuit and the creation of the 1979 Belmont Report, which established modern ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects.
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