Frequently Asked Questions

No. According to a journal article about the study, published in 1936, the 399 men in the syphilitic group were initially recruited because they already had late-latent syphilis. The 201 men in the control group did not have the disease.

Tuskegee community members were aware of the study but understood it to be a special government health care program. ¹

According to the Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs’ Ad Hoc Advisory Panel’s published report, “…the Macon County Health Department and Tuskegee Institute were cognizant of the study.”

There is no evidence that researchers obtained informed consent from participants, and participants were not offered available treatments, even after penicillin became widely available.

You can learn more about changes made to standard research practices after Tuskegee in Research Implications.

No women were included in the study. The study was limited to Black men 25 years of age or older. However, as a result of lack of treatment, some women contracted syphilis from men who participated in the study’s syphilitic group.

The National Archives, Southeastern Region, maintains a list of Tuskegee patient medical files.

The National Archives maintains photos related to the study.

The $10-million settlement was divided into four categories:

1. Living syphilitic group participants received $37,500.
2. Heirs of deceased syphilitic group participants received $15,000.
3. Living control group participants received $16,000.
4. Heirs of deceased control group participants received $5,000. ²