Carte Blanche

The Erosion of Medical Consent (Columbia Global Reports)

By: Harriet Washington

Narrated by: William DeMeritt

Carte Blanche is the alarming tale of how the right of Americans to say "no" to risky medical research is eroding at a time when we are racing to produce a vaccine and treatments for COVID-19. This medical right that we have long taken for granted was first sacrificed on the altar of military expediency in 1990 when the Department of Defense asked for and received from the FDA a waiver that permitted it to force an experimental anthrax vaccine on the ranks of ground troops headed for the Persian Gulf. Since then, the military has pressed ahead to impose nonconsensual testing of the blood substitute PolyHeme in civilian urbanities, quietly enrolling more than 20,000 nonconsenting subjects since 2005. Most Americans think that their right to give or withhold consent is protected by law, but the passing in 1996 of modifications to the Code of Federal Regulations, such as statute CFR 21 50.24, now permit investigators to conduct research with trauma victims without their consent or event their knowledge. More than a dozen studies since have used the 1996 loophole to recruit large numbers of subjects without their knowledge. The erosion of consent is the result of a US medical-research system that has proven again and again that it cannot be trusted.

©2021 Harriet Washington (P)2021 Random House Audio

Consent

I was introduced to this author on the C-SPAN "In Depth" program. In this time it is hard to believe how people can be subjected to experimemtal medical procedures and drugs without their consent, but it is happening. This is a real eye opener.

EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

This book is a must read to educate U.S. citizens about another layer of trauma occurring in our country. And in turn globally. Medical Informed Consent matters. Thank you Harriet Washington for shedding a light on this subject. I pray for you daily and God Bless you.

informative & clear: a sharp medical communicator

a fast read I'd recommend to anyone. informative and concise about how rhetoric, semantics, linguistics (patient vs subject, doctor vs researcher) are weaponized against marginalized communities w clear examples of atrocious decisions by medical authorities w profit and ulterior motive. the author's writing cuts through so cleanly, she breaks down illogical and unethical arguments and rips them to shreds. providing tangible policy actions and alternatives, this is a must read during these times and especially with growing research and more people becoming disabled, needing medical devices, and ongoing experimentation. amazing work!