Nazi
Doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Human Rights
in
Human Experimentation
by George J. Annas (Editor)Michael
A. Grodin (Editor)
ALL the world knows of Adolf Hitler and the
atrocities committed under his leadership during the Nazi era. But were
he and his small band of accomplices alone? Psychiatrists supplied the
flawed theories and ideas of eugenics and biochemistry which provided the
justification for wholesale slaughter of the "inferior". Timely reading
because modern psychiatry is treading down the same path once again - forgetting
about healing and concentrating instead on biology, genetics, and brain
chemistry.
Synopsis
Review of 1946 trial/role
of codes in international & U.S. law/ethics, etc.
Reviews and Commentary
From The Publisher:
The atrocities committed by
Nazi physicians and researchers during World War II prompted the development
of the Nuremberg Code to define the ethics of modern medical experimentation
utilizing human subjects. Since its enunciation, the Code has been viewed
as one of the cornerstones of modern bioethical thought. The sources and
ramifications of this important document are thoroughly discussed in this
book by a distinguished roster of contemporary professionals from the fields
of history, philosophy, medicine, and law. Contributors also include the
chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal and a survivor of the
Mengele twin experiments. The book sheds light on keenly debated issues
of both science and jurisprudence, including the ethics of human experimentation;
the doctrine of informed consent; and the Code's impact on today's international
human rights agenda. The historical setting of the Code's creation, some
modern parallels, and the current attitude of German physicians toward
the crimes of the Nazi era are discussed in early chapters. The book progresses
to a powerful account of the Doctors' Trial at Nuremberg, its resulting
verdict, and the Code's development. The Code's contemporary influence
on both American and international law is examined in its historical context
and discussed in terms of its universality: Are the foundational ethics
of the Code as valid today as when it was originally penned? The editors
conclude with a chapter on foreseeable future developments and a proposal
for an international covenant on human experimentation enforced by an international
court. A major work in medical law and ethics, this volume provides stimulating,
provocative reading for physicians, legal professionals, bioethicists,
historians, biomedical researchers, and concerned laypersons.
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