Racism, eugenics and sickle cell disease: the case of a population screening program

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Gabriela dos Santos
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Mota, Clarice Santos, Alves Bomfim Trad, Leny
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: RECIIS (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.reciis.icict.fiocruz.br/index.php/reciis/article/view/1881
• topic: Racism; Eugenics; Sickle cell disease; Reproductive rights; Health of the Black population.; Racismo; Eugenesia; Anemia de células falciformes; Derechos reproductivos; Salud de la población negra; Racismo; Eugenia; Doença falciforme; Direitos reprodutivos; Saúde da população negra

This article seeks to discuss the relationship between racism and eugenics associated with genetic diseases, specifially with the sickle cell disease, having as reference the case of the Population Screening Program (PTP – Programa de Triagem Populacional), which was planned to be implemented in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, and was unsuccessful, since it was inhibited by social movements. A qualitative research was conducted, based on the feminist and anti-racist perspective, which combined document analysis of the program proposaland in-depth interviews with black women with sickle cell disease in order to understand their perception of the program. The results indicate that the PTP proposal had explicit references to restrictions of the reproductive right of women with sickle cell disease, as well as revealed eugenics besides racist premises. Regarding the perception of the participants of the study, the feeling of indignation prevailed, especially towards the restriction of their reproductive rights. There is a need to eradicate institutional practices that are forged under a cloak of institutional racism producing violence against black bodies.