U.S. government exposed over a thousand individuals to dangerous radiation experiments

Between 1946 and 1963, in San Francisco, the U.S. Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory conducted a series of radiation experiments that involved at least 1,073 individuals. This period was marked by a growing awareness of the dangers associated with nuclear radiation, which prompted the military to undertake these experiments ostensibly for research purposes. However, the tests were carried out without any ethical guidelines or adequate follow-up regarding the long-term health effects on participants. Many of these subjects were military personnel who were not fully informed about the risks involved. The laboratory didn’t maintain any results from these studies, which has left a knowledge gap concerning the impact of radiation exposure on human health. As the experiments continued, whistleblowers eventually revealed significant issues with the oversight and ethical accountability of the testing procedures. The Radiological Defense Laboratory was officially closed in 1969, yet the aftermath of its dubious experiments lingered in San Francisco politics. Concerns over the cleanup of the contaminated site grew, culminating in a lawsuit against a decontamination contractor for failing to meet standards, resulting in a $97 million settlement in January 2025. Reports also indicate that even those who consented to participate in experiments were often exposed to higher radiation doses than what had been scientifically recommended. The attitudes of the military and scientific personnel involved in the experiments reflected a troubling disregard for the welfare of the test subjects. Radiological Defense Laboratory Director Paul Tompkins explicitly stated that the research was primarily valuable to the military, indicating a prioritization of military interests over public health. This perspective was echoed by colleagues who noted that the vast resources at their disposal came without necessary scrutiny, leading to reckless experimentation. The historical context of these experiments sheds light on the government’s complicated relationship with radiation. Initially marred by ignorance, the military's subsequent overzealous pursuit of data—often at the expense of human health—highlights a troubling legacy of negligence that has persisted through subsequent decades. Today, more calls for accountability are echoing as the consequences of these actions continue to unfold, suggesting a dialogue about ethical practices in scientific research is long overdue.