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Human Rights at Home and Abroad: Past, Present, and Future

Human Rights at Home and Abroad: Past, Present, and Future

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working in the world now than ever before, new self-experiments are starting all the time. There<br />

are still many questions left to answer <strong>and</strong> many stories yet to be written. (2005, p. 176)<br />

The benefits from self-experiment<strong>at</strong>ion can put others in better safety, but the Nuremberg Code <strong>and</strong> new<br />

experiment<strong>at</strong>ion o<strong>at</strong>h should be m<strong>and</strong><strong>at</strong>ory for these brave scientists as well. They are human <strong>and</strong> should<br />

be protected in every aspect. Also, scientists should choose whether they would like to have volunteer<br />

subjects or choose to conduct the experiments on their own bodies. It should depend on the d<strong>at</strong>a they want<br />

to collect to better determine the outcome of their specific experiment.<br />

For example, ―Koichiro Fujita of the Tokyo Medical <strong>and</strong> Dental University, has been swallowing<br />

tapeworm eggs off <strong>and</strong> on since 1996, hoping th<strong>at</strong> the worms living in his intestine will make his allergies<br />

better‖ (Boring & Dendy, 2005, p. 176). After Koichiro studied in third world countries <strong>and</strong> helped in<br />

removing infectious parasites <strong>and</strong> worms from the local people, he discovered th<strong>at</strong> they were more<br />

susceptible to gain allergies. These allergies could be to different types of foods <strong>and</strong> other substances, but<br />

he found it intriguing to know th<strong>at</strong> allergies were increasing for the people he had removed the parasites<br />

<strong>and</strong> worms from. Even though the worms are supposed to decrease the body‘s immune system, he<br />

hypothesized th<strong>at</strong> if he were to inject himself with these types of tape worms, his allergies would<br />

decrease. Scientists who are in a rush to know answers can find a better way to experiment. With the help<br />

of the Nuremberg Code <strong>and</strong> a new experiment<strong>at</strong>ion o<strong>at</strong>h, scientists can be less afraid <strong>and</strong> choose to use<br />

volunteer human test subjects instead of themselves.<br />

The right criteria for conducting a human experiment should be cre<strong>at</strong>ed by making the<br />

Nuremburg Code <strong>and</strong> researcher o<strong>at</strong>h m<strong>and</strong><strong>at</strong>ory, as well as making sure the test subject is safe <strong>and</strong> aware<br />

of the experiment; so why is all of this important? Well, by making these criteria a reality, many things in<br />

the future can improve. If these guidelines were enforced, there would be less controversy over whether<br />

human experiment<strong>at</strong>ion is ethical <strong>and</strong> would not viol<strong>at</strong>e human rights. Attempts are starting to be made to<br />

lessen controversy from organiz<strong>at</strong>ions like the Department of Veterans Affairs, who also care for p<strong>at</strong>ient<br />

rights by continually: ―working to ensure the highest st<strong>and</strong>ards of human subjects' protections in all of its<br />

research activities‖ (Burris, Feussner, Lavori & McGlynn, 2002, V-11). Organiz<strong>at</strong>ions <strong>at</strong>tempts like these<br />

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