Using lifers for medical research.

[Amber63]

There is good evidence that medical research on animals is not always conclusive in its effects on humans. One good example is Thalodomide which was tested on animals and declared safe for use on humans with disastrous consequences.

There is a large number of prisoners serving life sentences who will languish at Her Majesty's pleasure for the rest of their lives. Should these people, men and women, be used for medical research thus giving something back to society.

[sara3]

I think the Human Rights Act would disagree with you!

[cazzz1975]

they are paying for their crime by being locked up already surely..?

[Ethel]

Read this article from start to finish and see if you revise your opinion.

http://www.bmj.com/archive/7120/7120ed1.htm

[dot.hawkes]

That sounds abit like a NAZI plan to me. What will you tell the families of the prisoners? sorry ma dear, we think they are expendable and so we are going to donate them to medical science. ?

[Eve]

Miscarriages of justice are also worth considering.

[Panic Button]

If it goes wrong, do we release Mr. Huntley and say sorry, or just give him millions of pounds compensation?

Probably both.

Mind you, if you need help administering any drugs to Mr. Huntley, then I'm your man.

[Amber63]

I am well aware of the use of prisoners in the USA and also of inmates of concentration camps in Nazi Germany. There is a difference.

The inmates of the concentration camps were innocent citizens, guilty of no crimes. The inmates in the USA were convicted criminals.

Convicted lifers in this country could be used for medical research to provide more accurate results thus giving something back to the society that they wronged.

So no, I don't revise my opionion.

[sara3]

maybe we could use chavs though... hmmmmm......

[dot.hawkes]

how strongly do you feel about this? or is it part of your coursework?

[Amber63]

If it goes wrong then it goes wrong. No compensation would be paid because the subject was due to serve the rest of their life in prison anyway.

By the way, the sooner we do away with the Human Rights Act the better. The only people to benefit from it are the criminals.

[Amber63]

Coursework? Please explain.

[Eve]

The Human Rights Act has some pretty hefty faults but the essence of it, to protect those who are in need of protection should be upheld.

Coursework reference was as we have many people on here trying to get help with their homework.

Compensation reference I guess was for people who are released as their conviction was wrong. How would you compensate a wrongly convicted innocent on release on those circumstances?

[Amber63]

I left school in 1980 so it's definitely not coursework.

[sara3]

errr... a life sentence doesn't actually mean life!

[123everton]

No I disagree, thalydomide could well turn out to be the new wonder drug of the 20th century, it is only dangerous to sexually active women who are not using barrier contraception and for a short period of embryonic gestation in a minority of cases.
It's had quite remarkable results with many diseases including HIV, cancer and poryphia

[dot.hawkes]

ok, basically, why post this in cahtterbank where we are all discussing shopping trips, i hate being forced to make intrelligent conversation this late on a saturday night

[123everton]

Blimet Dot you wanna try it after a few whiskys, LOL.
I'm rocking here

[dot.hawkes]

Porphyria as in the bllood disease of the house of Royalty Or Porphyrias lover as the the Robert Browning poem? sorry..thinking again tut, it will never do

[Mr-Marvel]

I think its ok, providing the lifers are told the risks involved, and fully agree to take part and are somehow rewarded, for their participation in such risky research. but they must be given the choice.

[TCL-MUMPING]

If a prisoner is in gaol for life, that is them serving their punishment. What next, using old folk because they'll be dead soon anyway?