A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article indicates the dean of Penn Medicine has apologized for the work of a longtime faculty member (now deceased) for conducting medical research on inmates at a Philadelphia prison.
The research led by dermatologist Dr. Albert Kligman was done at Philadelphia’s Holmesburg Prison, where most of the inmates were Black.
The article also describes other changes Penn Medicine is naming, such as canceling a lecture series named after Kligman, and renaming a professorship. Further Googling on Kligman’s name reveals more information about the work he did (and the products his studies help develop). This background will be instructive in understanding the ethical protections now in place for research involving inmates.