Pediatric Volunteers and DOE Investigation

[VERNIG.PETER@forum.va.gov]

It would seem another qualitative guide to the acceptability would
be that if a study is routine, not ordinarily consented when ordered
in the course of diagnosis or treatment then it would be very reasonable
that the study be accepted for a research project not having direct
benefit to the patient or subject when consented.  From a liability
standpoint one would obviously, considering all the concern generated
want the donsent to be pretty rigorous and very well documented.  I
volunteered for a heart study which involved walking on a treadmill
breathing into a mask, and having blood drawn at 1 minute intervals,
all at once.  Tissue samples from the theigh muscles were taken after
the last tread mill ordeal.  The consent form was 4 or 5 pages long
and included 2% chance of infection from the tissue sampling.  What
it didn't say was how bloody BIG those needles were and how sore the
legs were after the anestheic wore off.
 
The DOE Document "HUMAN RADIATION EXPERIMENTATION The DOE Roadmap to 
the Story and the Records" gives an experiment which some may consider
justify the NAZI comparison.  OT-14 "Testicular Irradiation of Wash-
ington State Prison Inmates" p286.  While the report is not new, it
was referenced by the Markey Commission, it was new to me.  Course I 
hadn't heard of the Markey Commission before this.  BTW The investigation
is not confined to DOE.
 
If there are any opinions above they are mine and do not represent those
of the Denver VA Medical Center, The Dept of VEterans Affairs, or the
U.S. Government or any Agency there of.
 
Peter Vernig, RSO VA Medical Center, Denver vernig.peter@forum.va.gov
303-399-8020 e 2447