It was big news for a day or two: “U.S. sorry over deliberate sex infections in Guatemala,” read the headlines.
A researcher discovered that between 1946 and 1948, the United States Public Health Service was conducting experiments in Guatemala that involved intentionally infecting prisoners, soldiers and mental institution occupants with syphilis.
The aim of the study was to better understand treatment of the disease with penicillin and ideally develop a prophylaxis for it.
Many of the 696 infected individuals did not even know they were part of an experiment.
The study was a part of the infamous “Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male,” which ran from 1932 and 1972, in the U.S. (Note the word “untreated.”)
This particular experiment was unearthed by historian Susan M. Reverby of Wellesly College, and the details are made graphically clear in her report, which is available as a PDF file in the online coverage of the story by the New York Times and the BBC.
You can read the report for yourself, but another aspect of this issue that should be analyzed is the U.S. response to the discoveries.
Officials were, of course, deeply troubled by the incident. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called the news “shocking,” “tragic” and “reprehensible.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a joint statement that they were “outraged” and called the experiments “abhorrent.”
These deserved denunciations were followed by sincere apologies, including a personal phone call from President Obama to Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom.
U.S. officials have been quite vociferous in their denunciations and apologies, but when it comes to Colom’s accusation of U.S. crimes against humanity and possible reparations, the White House has been silent.
These horrendous experiments may have taken place more than 60 years ago, and the current administration obviously had nothing to do with them. But is a simple apology the best we can do? If a man intentionally infects someone with an STD, does an apology make it all better?
It is long past due for the U.S. to start owning up to some of its past mistakes and abuses. The experiments are a thing of the past but that does not mean the government should not take responsibility for them. Our apologies, sincere as they may be, do not make up for a crime against humanity.
It seems crimes against humanity can only be committed by other, corrupt countries — never the righteous U.S.
The experiments are not even some contested issue like torture or extraordinary rendition. We have publicly condemned the experiments and apologized for them. All we have to do now is take it one step further.
Some may say we can’t afford to be throwing money aroundfor reparations all over the world (although apparently we have money for an unending war in the Middle East), but we could at least admit to a clear crime against humanity. How about applying international law to ourselves for a change of pace?
The White House has a great opportunity here to actually do something about an atrocious, international offense. Hopefully, it will embrace the opportunity. Unfortunately, it looks like this will be just another tragedy swept under the rug of history.
Guatemala has had a long and bloody history, made possible in no small part by the U.S. It would certainly be nice if this small chapter had a happy ending.

Managing editor