Title: Reversing the Legacy of “Bad Blood”: Utilizing the Media, Legislatures, the Judiciary, Federal Agencies, and Private Enterprise to Comprehensively Reform Contemporary Policies and Industry Practices that Adversely Impact African-American Health and Underv (2007 Third Year Paper)
Author(s): Amanda K. Edwards
Subject & Subject keywords: Food and Drug Law "syphilis"
Abstract:Since the inception of the Tuskegee Experiment, which studied the impact of “bad blood” of African-Americans afflicted with syphilis, the African-American community has suffered from government policies and industry practices that have been adverse to the health of the community. Although the Tuskegee Experiment finally ended in the 1970s, its legacy and other food, drug and a number of other health policies have sustained adverse health effects for the African-American community. More specifically, this paper discusses the state of the racially tailored drug, BiDil, and the concerns it raises or should raise for the African-American community. It also highlights the practices and policies associated with the fast food industry, and the Cheeseburger Bill efforts. Last this paper highlights the violation of the equal protection relating to the calculation of economic damages for African-American victims of medical malpractice. While some of the issues plaguing the African-American community may be common to other populations, this paper focuses on the unique dynamics of the African-American community in an effort to tailor strategies for the African-American community to use to combat these adverse policies and practices. This paper explains that by utilizing the media, legislatures, the judiciary, federal agencies and private enterprise, the undesirable policies and practices affecting the African-American community may be eradicated and the effects of the legacy of “bad blood” dissipated.