Parker, Laura
USA Today (04/28/97) P. 6A
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The infamous Tuskegee study, in which 399 African American men in Alabama did not know they were receiving placebo treatment for syphilis, and were then tracked by the federal government to study the effects of untreated disease, still exerts a powerful influence. The deceit used by the researchers and the disregard shown for the participants' health have created a suspicion of government in many segments of the African American community. These factors also lie behind a current conspiracy theory which proposes that AIDS was created by the government to kill off the Black race. Most importantly, the legacy of Tuskegee affects the health of African Americans today, as many are reluctant to donate blood or vaccinate their children.