Cavie umane

Pennsylvania: 298 cavie umane fanno causa (20 ottobre)

The plaintiffs allege that Penn exposed them to diseases.
Former inmates sue Penn over experiments
http://www.dailypennsylvanian.com/NF/omf/penn/site_styles/penn/printer_friendly_story.html?rkey=0000864+sid=20001019214323.46F45+cat=news+template=story_without_photo.html
Alexis Gilbert
Published Friday, October 20, 2000

Nearly three decades after participating in a series of University-run experiments to test the efficiency of skin-care drugs, 298 former prison inmates are suing Penn for exposing them to infectious diseases.

Lawyers for the men who were once incarcerated in the city's Holmesburg prison filed a lawsuit against the University, Dermatology Emeritus Professor Albert Kligman, the City of Philadelphia and drug companies Johnson and Johnson and Dow Chemical Company.

The lawsuit, which is asking for in excess of $50,000 from each defendant, claims that between 1951 and 1974 inmates were asked to participate in experiments during which they were exposed to infectious diseases, radioactive isotopes and psychotropic drugs such as LSD without having given informed consent.

Controversy has surrounded the experiments ever since Allen Hornblum -- now a professor at Temple University -- brought the issue to light in his 1998 book Acres of Skin, which details his experiences at Holmesburg.

Penn officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment yesterday.

Thomas Nocella, who is representing the inmates, said Penn has so far "stonewalled" in responding to the suit.

Since the publication of Hornblum's book, Penn has faced numerous protests from former prisoners, and has also battled in court with Kligman, who led the studies at the prison which led to the production of the drug Retin-A, a popular prescription skin-care drug.

Both Johnson and Johnson and Dow Chemical Company admitted they had tested products on Holmesburg prisoners.

But Johnson and Johnson went on to say that none of the chemicals cited in the lawsuit were ever used in the company's products.

A spokesman from Dow Chemical Company said that the corporation initially had an agreement with Kligman to conduct skin contact studies, authorizing him to do low-level testing at Holmesburg.

Dow said it severed its relationship with Kligman when he "deviated from protocol and radically increased dosages" used with inmates.

"Looking back would similar tests be done using the prison population?" Dow's spokeswoman asked. "Absolutely not."

Nocella claims that Kligman administered doses up to "700 times greater" than those outlined in protocol. But he also blames Dow for its inability to supervise the tests.

"Dow got all the benefits from the testing, and then complained," he said. "They weren't trying to cure any diseases, they just wanted money."

Nocella feels Penn acted the same way, especially in regard to Retin-A, by keeping the results and profiting.

Although participating inmates did sign waivers before tests began, Nocella claims the waivers were blank and that prisoners were coerced to sign.

"[The defendants] made it appear as a privilege" to take part in the experiments, he said. For prisoners desperate for money, the pay they received was sufficient enough to warrant physical injury.

Inmates complain of both external and internal injuries, including burns and scarring as well as damage to the stomach and intestines.

"There are some really horrific stories," Nocella said.

And yet, he added, all his clients are asking for "is a sincere apology," even though they don't find it likely that they will receive one.

"All they're asking for is an acknowledgement that a mistake was made," he said.

"Today, more consideration is being given for lab mice and rats than was given by Penn for human beings 30 years ago," he said.