The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Human Rights in Human Experimentation [Paperback]

George J. Annas (Editor), Michael A. Grodin (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195101065 | ISBN-13: 978-0195101065 | Publication Date: August 24, 1995

The atrocities committed by Nazi physicians and researchers during World War II prompted the development of the Nuremberg Code to define the ethics of modern medical experimentation utilizing human subjects. Since its enunciation, the Code has been viewed as one of the cornerstones of modern bioethical thought. The sources and ramifications of this important document are thoroughly discussed in this book by a distinguished roster of contemporary professionals from the fields of history, philosophy, medicine, and law. Contributors also include the chief prosecutor of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal and a moving account by a survivor of the Mengele Twin Experiments. The book sheds light on keenly debated issues of both science and jurisprudence, including the ethics of human experimentation; the doctrine of informed consent; and the Code's impact on today's international human rights agenda. The historical setting of the Code's creation, some modern parallels, and the current attitude of German physicians toward the crimes of the Nazi era, are discussed in early chapters. The book progresses to a powerful account of the Doctors' Trial at Nuremberg, its resulting verdict, and the Code's development. The Code's contemporary influence on both American and international law is examined in its historical context and discussed in terms of its universality: are the foundational ethics of the Code as valid today as when it was originally penned? The editors conclude with a chapter on foreseeable future developments and a proposal for an international covenant on human experimentation enforced by an international court. A major work in medical law and ethics, this volume provides stimulating, provocative reading for physicians, legal professionals, bioethicists, historians, biomedical researchers, and concerned laypersons.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent and well-organized reader." --Journal of the American Medical Association

"Provides stimulating reading, and will appeal to a braod audience of clinical researchers, physicians, ethicists, historians or lay persons interested in the Nuremburg Code and the historical, legal, or ethical issues surrounding human experimentation." --Communique

About the Author

George J. Annas and Michael A. Grodin are both of the Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (August 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195101065
• ISBN-13: 978-0195101065
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #689,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Multi-faceted, January 30, 2002

By 

Cara Dufrene (Hattiesburg, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Human Rights in Human Experimentation (Paperback)

This book is wonderful! It provides information on not only Nazis and their medical experiments, but the ethics (or the lack thereof) behind it all. It also delves into medical ethics in general, including the U.S.'s not so pleasant past. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Nazi medical experiments or medical ethics.