In 1997, an international debate began when it was revealed that American-sponsored field experiments with a vaccine believed to be an effective treatment for HIV/AIDS were being c

AIDS Research:  In 1997, an international debate began when it was revealed that American-sponsored field experiments with a vaccine believed to be an effective treatment for HIV/AIDS were being conducted in Asia and Africa on pregnant women who had been diagnosed with the AIDS virus.  While some of the women (the experimental group) were given the vaccine, others (the control group) were given placebos.  Critics charged that by not giving the vaccine to all, the newborns of the control group were knowingly being given AIDS.  Defenders of the experiment pointed out that without the experiment, there would have been no vaccine treatment for anyone in such poor countries.  They argued that such treatment was ethical since half of the women who had received some treatment would have otherwise received none.  Such treatments were routine in wealthier countries such as the United States as soon as AIDS is diagnosed.

2.  Briefly describe the ethical dilemma presented in the case study and explain how critical ethical principles were violated.

3.  Was Robert McNamara ethically justified in keeping silent about his disillusionment with the Vietnam War policies for so many years?  Is there ever adequate justification for allowing loyalty to one’s administrative superior to outweigh one’s overall loyalty to one’s country?