A Third Doctor Objects To CIA Misuse of Science
I have updated the story I posted earlier today with yet another scientist, this one in France, objecting to the way the CIA and the Justice Department used his work to justify prolonged sleep deprivation on detainees.
Dr. S. Hakki Onen, sleep specialist and geriatrician with the Hôpital Gériatrique A. Charial, a part of the Hospices Civils de Lyon in Lyon, France, is the author of a paper cited in footnotes in the two May 10, 2005 memos that President Obama declassified last week. The two other named scientists, James Horne and Bernd Kundermann have also objected to the use their material to argue that CIA procedures were did not rise to the level of torture.
Here is the complete statement of Onen, as given to TIME reporter Bruce Crumley in Paris. Like Kundermann, Onen only discovered his citation in the CIA memos when he was contacted by TIME.
I'm disappointed, upset, consternated, and even hurt at seeing this. This research was undertaken to learn about the relationship between pain and sleep deprivation, and inform the scientific community how we can improve and develop new strategies for treating and managing the pain of our patients. To see it used in this manner is upsetting, because its goals run counter to the therapeutic intent of our effort...In publishing clinical findings like this, you're aware you lose control of them, because they can be read and even abused by people who may have other objectives in mind. . . . (More after the jump.)
Our medical study set careful guidelines and ethical limits, and used volunteers who were in good health. Those paid volunteers also issued from the medical field, understood what the study entailed, and could leave the experiment at any time if they desired. The maximum limit of total sleep deprivation was set at 40 hours, during which time the volunteers were accompanied in a comfortable and pleasant environment, and given healthy, gourmet food. Meanwhile, they were distracted from sleeplessness by playing different games, or watching soccer matches. They could eat, drink, read, and move about as they wished. The American documents we learn that sleep deprivation spanned from 70 to 120 hours—and set maximum limits of 180 hours for the hardest resisters, which is over a full week without sleep! In other words, they discuss starting the sleep deprivation process at nearly double the maximum we set for ethical reasons. Needless to say, the conditions within which that sleep deprivation took place in seems to have little in common with the open, controlled, and comfortable settings of our study.The American documents also cite our study by saying 40 hours of sleep deprivation diminished pain tolerance thresholds by 8% to 9%, independent of all discomfort caused by physical interrogation methods. What it doesn't note is our study also found patients deprived of sleep to be more sensitive to pain, and in a general state of discomfort. Meanwhile, it also ignores our finding that once patients were allowed a period of ‘rebound sleep', they tended to be more resistant to pain. In that manner, a few years later we used those findings in new medical experiments--for example, with sleep apnea syndrome in elderly patients, which is a chronic sleep deprivation model. When we treated these patients and restored their sleep, we also increased their pain thresholds. That therapeutic objective of our study is therefore opposite to its application as described in the reports.
It's indeed a question of objective. The American documents talk about using sleep deprivation to opposite ends. In a manner, it's like giving a drug to a patient: if you administer it in small doses for therapeutic reasons, it helps them. If you give it in huge volumes, it becomes toxic—and can even kill them.
-
1
[...] A Third Doctor Objects To CIA Misuse of Science [...]
-
2
You know, I was looking but I couldn't tell, but it seems to me that the only scientists that were cited were Europeans. I find that interesting, I mean didn't they think that at some point this 'pinko Commies' would object to the use of their research...I mean, they are European. (yes snark)
-
3
Michael-I commented earlier that there were other doctors present checking these prisoner's health and knowing what these people were subject to. Did those same doctors know about the research? There are a lot of questions here so please stay on this.
-
4
MS,
In case I haven't made it clear, I really appreciate the work your doing on this. Keep it up. -
5
You're
-
6
GYS, The OMS doctors, who work with the CIA, are not the sort that is easy to interview. The documents do make clear, however, that the CIA IG found that the early use of the enhanced techniques was done without the approval or proper supervision of OMS.
-
7
OT: But Glenn brings up a good point concerning Jane Harman's conduct today after being one of the most vigorous suppports/defenders of warrantless wire taps. NOW she has a problem. What a piece of sh*t. But, hey Joe Klein likes her.
.
That's what I asked Attorney General Holder to do -- to release any tapes, I don't know whether they were legally made or not, of my conservations about this matter . . . and to hope that he will investigate whether other members of Congres or other innocent Americans might have been subject to this same treatment. I call it an abuse of power in the letter I wrote him this morning. . . .
>
I'm just very disappointed that my country -- I'm an American citizen just like you are -- could have permitted what I think is a gross abuse of power in recent years. I'm one member of Congress who may be caught up in it, and I have a bully pulpit and I can fight back. I'm thinking about others who have no bully pulpit, who may not be aware, as I was not, that someone is listening in on their conversations and they're innocent Americans.
.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?source=rss -
8
"the early use of the enhanced techniques was done without the approval or proper supervision of OMS."
.
Quite right on the not easy to interview Michael understood. However, you say "early" use. Did that change at some point? -
9
What the hell happened the the comments?
-
10
Who would base intelligence on information obtained from severely sleep-deprived people who have very possibly crossed the threshold to delusional?
-
11
"Who would base intelligence on information obtained from severely sleep-deprived people who have very possibly crossed the threshold to delusional?"
.
Bush adminisration! What do I win Rose? -
12
"Who would base intelligence on information obtained from severely sleep-deprived people who have very possibly crossed the threshold to delusional?"
.
Criminals. STUPID criminals. -
13
Via Digby. Snap!
.
The Republicans are finally seeking to lay blame for the torture regime where it belongs --- with the Democrats:If Democrats insist on probing the Bush administration's program of detainee torture, they'd better be careful, a senior Senate Republican said Tuesday, because they might find blood on their own hands as well.
.
"To sit quietly and to let this happen and then to come back later and say people ought to be prosecuted criminally, not just here in the United States but perhaps internationally, to me is inconsistent, to say the least," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
.
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/ -
14
I was thinking people who really don't care about getting accurate intelligence.
.
Apparently the Bush Administration never understood that bad intelligence can kill innocent people. -
15
Gunny - re Harman.
.
"You open a window on the left, then you open a window on the right, and now you're complaining because there's a draft. You're dumb." (Sanche de Gramont, The French: Portrait of a People) -
16
It's indeed a question of objective. The American documents talk about using sleep deprivation to opposite ends. In a manner, it's like giving a drug to a patient: if you administer it in small doses for therapeutic reasons, it helps them. If you give it in huge volumes, it becomes toxic—and can even kill them.
.
I just thought that was worth repeating. Can someone forward this to Joe Scarborough please? -
17
gysgt
.
Here is the deal, the Dems were briefed but only in top secret briefings where they weren't allowed to bring in any writing materials nor aides. They were also told that they were not able to reveal to anyone, I repeat anyone, what they were briefed on. They weren't asked for their opinions and they also weren't allowed to question the briefers. Now in truth it was all a set up from the Bush adminstration to cover their own ass. They told these people about torture but then told them they couldn't tell anyone and because of the rules of national security they literally couldn't. So now the Republicans get to come back and point the finger and say "Hey the Dems knew about it" without ever acknowledging that they still couldn't tell anybody about it. Unfortuantely because most of us on the left were and are so opposed to torture and wiretapping we bought the line hook line and sinker and are pissed at the Dems who participated also. But when it comes down to it there was literally nothing they could do. And thats spoken as someone who has no love for Jay Rockerfeller or Jane Harman. -
18
SG, but Jane Harman actively worked to implement and support the Bush Administration's surveillance policies. She wasn't merely a passive observer.
.
There's a difference between being unable to stop something bad and working to make it happen. -
19
Sg-My point is this is why the Republicans are so very good at this stuff. Cronyn just gave the talking point that we will hear all over again. Its simple and very easy to remember. I agree with everything you said, however, the Bush administration is gone now. Time to man up Democrats.
-
20
rose83
.
Actually you are wrong, she didn't implement a damn thing. All she did was cheerlead for it after the fact. -
21
gysgt
.
There is nothing to do now. Remember that with bipartisan support including now President then Senator Obama the Congress already passed the FISA bill, of course it still isn't stopping the illegalities evidently. And President Obama has already outlawed torture. What else is there to do other than tear up the FISA bill and bring something better? -
22
Time to man up Democrats.
.
That's why I think it's so fascinationg to watch Tapper go after Gibbs. But the question remains. Where was everyone in 05?
.
I'd love for someone to pull something out of the archive that demonstrates that the same folks who are wolves now weren't sheep when they still had to report to Karl Rove. -
23
@sgw - and I don't mean this as a slam at you personally.
.
Of course there was something Rockefeller and Harman could have done. Doctors and interrogators could have done it too (perhaps some of them did). They could have taken a stand on principal and resigned.
.
If the best you can do is refuse to take part, then you must refuse to take part. Nobody - not you, sgw, not me, not anybody gets a pass when it comes to pure evil. Republicans and Democrats alike, they were and are guilty as hell. -
24
Already the press has pretty much reduced all of this to a fight between the left and right.
-
25
Well, gunny, it's what they do.
- michaelscherer @alangrayson TIME told your story (http://bit.ly/cdG9qb), tho not how you would have told it, here: http://bit.ly/YSRHh - 2 hours ago
- michaelscherer RT @PElliottAP: Obama makes surprise visit to White House briefing room. Tune in. - 5 hours ago
- michaelscherer RT @ryssiebee: 92 magazine covers, 10 years, 2 minutes. http://bit.ly/5d7oCo - 8 hours ago
Most Popular »
- Undercover Boss Is Phony and Manipulative. But Don't Hold That Against It.
- NBC: There Was Never a Conan O'Brien
- NH Poll: Dems Face A Thumpin'
- Paul Ryan Won't Run For Prez In 2012
- Barack Obama: Then vs. Now
- Today's Health Care Checkup - GOP Plans Under the Spotlight
- Gibbs Mocks Palin, Tea Party Convention
- CO Gov Poll: Hickenlooper +4
- Do You Spend Less than $2,000 Annually on Internet, TV, Cell Phone Service, and Video Games?
- Love At First Byte: Your Nerdy Valentine's Day Guide
- Asian Carp Battle: Foreign Fish Threaten Great Lakes
- Is the Bible Fact or Fiction? Archaeology's Discoveries
- Spain's Troubled Economy: Fears Over Euro Zone Outlook
- Kennewick Man, Archaeology Find: Who Discovered America?
- Al-Qaeda, Yemen, Wedding: Unlucky Name, Celebration
- Tea-Party Convention: Lessons on Palin and the Movement
- Venezuela: Chavez Protests at Ball Game Over Electricity
- Jim Frederick, Black Hearts in Iraq's Triangle of Death
- Marja: Operation Moshtarak Tests Obama's Afghan War Plan
- Why China Needs The U.S. -- And Vice Versa
Quotes of the Day »
RSS