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The Cincinnati Radiation Experiments 

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati conducted radiation experiments on cancer patients to study the effects of total body irradiation.

The Cincinnati Radiation Experiments 

What: Radiation experiments conducted on cancer patients, primarily poor Black individuals. 

When: 1960-1971. 

Where: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. 

Details: Researchers at the University of Cincinnati conducted radiation experiments on cancer patients to study the effects of total body irradiation. Many of the subjects were poor Black patients who were not fully informed of the risks or the experimental nature of the treatment. The experiments aimed to gather data on radiation exposure, which was expected to have applications in both medical treatment and potential military uses. 

Why and How It Was Racist: The experiments disproportionately targeted Black patients and were conducted without proper informed consent, reflecting systemic racism and exploitation in medical research. The unethical practices of these experiments highlighted the disregard for the rights and safety of marginalized groups in the name of scientific advancement. 

Sources: 
Journal Articles:
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Western Division (1995). In re Cincinnati Radiation Litigation. Federal supplement, 874, 796–833. 

Websites:
Hoeting, B. (2022, September 7). The dark past of clinical trials and what that means for science Today. The Dark Past of Clinical Trials and What That Means for Science Today. https://med.uc.edu/landing-pages/uccom-tribunal/com-chronicles/overview/2022/09/07/the-dark-past-of-clinical-trials-and-what-that-means-for-science-today


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