MDs have a long history of self-experimentation to advance medicine, with some experiments providing major breakthroughs but also risks. In the 16th century, Santorio Santorio weighed himself daily for 30 years to study insensible perspiration. In 1929, Dr. Werner Fossmann inserted a tube into his heart, pioneering modern cardiology. Gerhard Domagk discovered sulfa drugs in 1939 and later injected himself with cancer extracts seeking vaccines. However, some experiments proved dangerous, as when Walter Reed renounced pledging to test the mosquito-yellow fever connection after one team member died.

1. MDs are their best guinea pigs… “Do unto yourself before doing unto others” 16th century – Santorio Santorio (Padua, Italy) weighed himself (and his food and drink) daily for 30 years, identifying ‘insensible perspiration’ 1929 – Dr. Werner Fossmannn inserted a thin tube into a vein in his arm and slid it into his heart (shared 1956 Nobel prize)-inspires modern era of cardiology) 1939 - Gerhard Domagk (1939 Nobel prize) discovers sulfa drugs and later injects himself with sterilized extracts of human cancers in search of cancer vaccines Lawrence K Altman, MD, Who Goes First? The Story of Self-Experimentation in Medicine. NY Times article, 2006. Myth dispelled: after pledging to be a guinea pig researching the mosquito/yellow fever connection, Walter Reed reniged. One team member died another barely survived.