President Clinton Gets Tough On Human Radiation Experiments

WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Clinton signed a memorandum increasing the rights of citizens who voluntarily take part in secret, federally-funded research experiments. In a break from past procedures, federal agencies are now required to obtain "informed consent" from experiment participants. Agency heads must approve any human research project and establish an independent review process to ensure that correct practices are observed. The government has also settled the last of a series of 16 claims totaling $6.5 million for plutonium injections administered to subjects in the 1940s. The Administration will also ask Congress to foot a $50 million compensation package for uranium miners exposed to radiation from a federal atomic weapons program.