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should bring its policies into line with the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use
of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.
31.
The Committee notes that (a) waivers of consent in research regulated by the U.S
Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration may be given
in case of individual and national emergencies; (b) some research may be conducted on persons
vulnerable to coercion or undue influence such as children, prisoners, pregnant women, mentally
disabled persons, or economically disadvantaged persons; (c) non-therapeutic research may be
conducted on mentally ill persons or persons with impaired decision-making capacity, including
minors; and (d) although no waivers have been given so far, domestic law authorizes the
President to waive the prior informed-consent requirement for the administration of an
investigational new drug to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, if the President determines that
obtaining consent is not feasible, is contrary to the best interests of the military members, or is
not in the interests of U.S. national security. (article 7)
The State party should ensure that it meets its obligation under article 7 of the
Covenant not to subject anyone without his/her free consent to medical or scientific
experimentation. The Committee recalls in this regard the non-derogable character
of this obligation under article 4 of the Covenant. When there is doubt as to the
ability of a person or a category of persons to give such consent, e.g. prisoners, the
only experimental treatment compatible with article 7 would be treatment chosen as
the most appropriate to meet the medical needs of the individual.
32.
The Committee reiterates its concern that conditions in some maximum security prisons
are incompatible with the obligation contained in article 10 (1) of the Covenant to treat detainees
with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person. It is particularly
concerned by the practice in some such institutions to hold detainees in prolonged cellular
confinement, and to allow them out-of-cell recreation for only five hours per week, in general
conditions of strict regimentation in a depersonalized environment. It is also concerned that such
treatment cannot be reconciled with the requirement in article 10 (3) that the penitentiary system
shall comprise treatment the essential aim of which shall be the reformation and social
rehabilitation of prisoners. It also expresses concern about the reported high numbers of severely
mentally ill persons in these prisons, as well as in regular in U.S. jails.
The State party should scrutinize conditions of detention in prisons, in particular in
maximum security prisons, with a view to guaranteeing that persons deprived of
their liberty be treated in accordance with the requirements of article 10 of the
Covenant and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners.
33.
The Committee, while welcoming the adoption of the Prison Rape Elimination Act of
2003, regrets that the State party has not implemented its previous recommendation that
legislation allowing male officers access to women's quarters should be amended to provide at
least that they will always be accompanied by women officers. The Committee also expresses
concern about the shackling of detained women during childbirth. (articles 7 and 10)