I am sure that many people would have absolutely no problem with testing on prisoners. However, from an ethical point of view, prisoners are considered vulnerable populations who, due to the circumstances of their confinement, might agree to participate out of fear of reprisal. Right now, the cornerstone of clinical testing is "informed consent"--that is, consent without coercion and with full knowledge of the risks--which is very difficult to obtain from prisoners.
It is a real eye-opener to sit in on institutional review board (IRB) meetings and listen to the discussions, or to read a journal of medical ethics. It is really difficult to design an ethical clinical trial. It is challenging even to design ethical animal trials.
Right. However, if it’s completely of the prisoner’s free will it would be okay, right? I’m saying the prisoners that are on death row, or in prison for life. The murderers, rapists, etc. I mean, you could just tell them we’re doing some research, and if anyone would volunteer that would be great. Don’t give them incentive, and only offer to the worst of the worst. People that are never going to see the outside of a prison. Some would say yes. Then move them to a research facility, have armed guards. Don’t force them into anything, show them exactly what the virus or ailment will do to their bodies. Then let them decide. Take ebola for example, show the volunteers videos, tell them exactly what is going to happen. If they refuse, send them back to the prison. Some won’t, some will realize they aren’t getting out, and if they can help find a cure for any ailment that they are at least doing something good for someone, somewhere. Some murderers I’m sure get remorseful, wishing they could do anything to ease their guilt, some would do it just to stay in a comfy place for awhile. Of course they have to know that the cure may not work, some would be just for research of the virus itself, they would have to understand that it would be painful, and they have a high likelihood of dying. The ones that are really sorry for whatever they did are the ones that would do it. The ones that don’t care wouldn’t. But at least instead of sitting around being useless violent criminals could be productive.
This would be a great trade off to bypass FDA regulations and start testing years of research quickly. Instead of having to go through years of studies, paperwork, and red tape to be allowed to test on humans. However, I realize this could lead to a number of really terrible scenarios. I could see people using it to farm human guinea pigs. It would have to be highly monitored in a controlled environment.
I believe there needs to be some way to test medicines quickly. Because the regulations slow modern medicine to a crawl. Who knows what promising medicines are out there buried under stacks of paperwork and red tape. It seems like this could work, at least in my head. I don’t think I understand the complexities surrounding this subject. So if this seems like crazy talk to you, I would understand.
I think it could work. But I recognize what it could lead to. You seem to know much more about this then me. Would it be possible? Polio was not cured after years of research, and animal trials to get to human trials. The doctor risked his life, and the lives of his family. Guess what? He bypassed possibly decades getting to human trials and saved millions of lives. However there were not all these regulations involved.