[mseebach]

"In none of these cases were the subjects informed about the nature of the procedures, and thus could not have provided informed consent."

This - and not the plutonium - is the bad part. Your comment is completely irrelevant to argument the parent makes.

[foobarbazqux]

Of course it's relevant, he was elaborating on the experiments that OP was alluding to and expressing his shock. They aren't having a debate.

[mikeash]

Excuse me?

I'm pretty sure that the "developmentally disabled children" bit precludes informed consent, and I don't see how discussing a particularly egregious case of what was presented could possibly be "completely irrelevant".

[anonymfus]

>I'm pretty sure that the "developmentally disabled children" bit precludes informed consent

Your comment reminds me old joke: "Doctor, you forgot about anaesthesia before surgical operation!" — "Don't worry, patient is mute.".

There are many kinds of development disabilities. It was not ever said anything about mental disabilities.

[MichaelSalib]

I think you are very confused. I've spent a lot of time with developmentally disabled people and I've yet to see one that didn't have a substantial cognitive impairment. Moreover, children in general cannot consent.

[mikeash]

The third word I quoted is also important.