Question

Identify the benefit-risk ratio of the Tuskegee Study at the beginning of the study (1932) compared with the benefit-risk ratio after penicillin is accepted as the treatment for syphilis (1945).

Answer 1

The benefit-risk ratio is the ratio of potential benefit of an action/ system over the potential risk of the same action/ system.

Benefit-Risk ratio of Tuskgee Study in 1932:

Syphilis did not have a cure back in 1932, hence to test a drug/ formulation Salvarsan 606 and bismuth was used as treatment drug in the clinical trial. Here the benefit-Risk ratio was High as the arsenic therapy showed potential according to researcher to benefit man-kind and find a cure to eradicate syphilis. There were no antibiotic and formulation 606 was a promising new treatment, hence in 1932, Benefit-Risk ratio of Tuskgee Study was High.

Benefit-Risk ratio of Tuskgee Study in 1945:

The effective treatment on Syphilis is use of Penicillin (an antibiotic) against the disease and it can completely cure the affected individuals. Penicillin was proved to be best treatment method against Syphilis through a clinical trial in 1945. Here, despite of having a proven and effective cure, the trial was still continued with the same medication. Hence in 1945, despite having the evidence of the cure on syphilis the study participants of Tuskgee Study were devoid and continued to be given wrong treatment and so the benefit-Risk ratio in 1945 is low was compared to 1932 where there was no treatment for Syphilis.

Therefore, Benefit to Risk ratio in the Tuskgee Study in 1932 is High, whereas compared with the benefit-risk ratio after penicillin is accepted as the treatment for syphilis (1945) is low.