“The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential.”
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana (Spanish philosopher).
In the above photograph sitting at the back of the court are some of Nazi Leaders who are on trial for Crimes Against Humanity, committed during their almost 13 years of an intended 1,000 year Third Reich.
Foreword by Rusty Retton: “Of the many injustices that were resolved at the Nuremberg Trials following the end of World War 2, and so that they should never be repeated, the 10 Nuremberg Codes were established. I implore you to read them all, but for now we will discuss Code 1.”
- ‘The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential. This means that the person involved should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of any element of force, fraud, deceit, duress, overreaching, or other ulterior form of constraint or coercion; and should have sufficient knowledge and comprehension of the elements of the subject matter involved as to enable him to make an understanding and enlightened decision.
This latter element requires that before the acceptance of an affirmative decision by the experimental subject there should be made known to him the nature, duration, and purpose of the experiment; the method and means by which it is to be conducted; all inconveniences and hazards reasonably to be expected; and the effects upon his health or person which may possibly come from his participation in the experiment.
The duty and responsibility for ascertaining the quality of the consent rests upon each individual who initiates, directs, or engages in the experiment. It is a personal duty and responsibility which may not be delegated to another with impunity.’
“At the end of this article, I invite the reader to consider if a breach of Code 1 is or has been made, by examining if there are any parallels with what is happening in our world today, which Code 1 was clearly designed to prevent. I will let Albert Einstein, Scientist, have the last, yet profound, if not prophetic last words.”
Rusty Retton, Red Brick for Truth.
