Global Health Justice

October 13, 2023

[BOOKS] on Medical Appartheid

By Fatima Al-Shimari

Medical apartheid refers to the systemic discrimination, segregation, and unequal treatment of individuals or groups based on their race or ethnicity within the healthcare system, leading to disparities in access, quality of care, and health outcomes. Book recommendations on medical appartheid:

 

“Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present” by Harriet A. Washington (2006)

    • Washington meticulously documents the history of medical exploitation and mistreatment of Black Americans, offering a comprehensive examination of unethical practices in the healthcare system.

“Killing the Black Body: Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty” by Dorothy Roberts (1997)

    • Roberts critically analyzes the intersection of race, reproductive rights, and medical practices, exposing the ways in which Black women’s bodies have been historically controlled and exploited.

“Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology” by Deirdre Cooper Owens (2017)

    • Owens uncovers the history of gynecology and its roots in the brutal experimentation on enslaved Black women, shedding light on the legacy of medical violence against Black bodies.

“Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment” by James H. Jones (1981)

    • Jones provides a detailed account of the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study, revealing the deliberate withholding of treatment from Black men for the sake of medical research.

“Medicalizing Blackness: Making Racial Difference in the Atlantic World, 1780-1840” by Rana A. Hogarth (2017)

    • Hogarth examines the historical medicalization of race, exploring how notions of Blackness were constructed within the context of the Atlantic slave trade.

“Birthright: The True Story That Inspired ‘Kidnapped'” by A. Roger Ekirch (2010)

    • Ekirch uncovers the true story of an enslaved woman, Ona Judge, who was subjected to medical experiments by George Washington’s personal physician, Dr. James Craik.

“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot (2010)

    • Skloot tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were used without her consent for medical research, leading to groundbreaking discoveries.

“Medical Racism: The New Apartheid” by Dr. Harriet A. Washington (2021)

    • In this recent work, Washington expands on her earlier book, providing updated research and analysis on the continued presence of medical racism and disparities in modern healthcare.

“Against the Odds: Health Inequities in the African American Community” by Richard Hofrichter (1999)

    • Hofrichter examines health disparities within the African American community, highlighting the social, economic, and political factors that contribute to unequal access to healthcare.

These books collectively offer a comprehensive exploration of medical apartheid, exposing the historical and contemporary instances of racial discrimination and exploitation within the healthcare system. They provide critical insights into the need for reform and advocacy for equitable healthcare practices.