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Did Volkswagen Experiment on Humans? Angela Merkel Asks for Full Disclosure

The snowballing Volkswagen diesel experiment scandal keeps growing, being fuelled both by proven facts and suppositions. The lates addition to the unraveling puzzle is the claim that Volkswagen was also involved in human experiments.
VW gets dragged deeper into the experiments scandal 10 photos
Photo: http://www.tekbit.pt/
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Two German publications, the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Stuttgarter Zeitung, revealed at the beginning of the week a possible involvement of the carmaker in such an undertaking. The two publications claim 25 young and healthy human beings were asked and paid to participate in a diesel emissions related study.

The experiments are said to have taken place at an institute belonging to the University Clinic Aachen. The participants had to breath nitrogen dioxide, a component of diesel fumes linked, among other things, to heart attacks and lung cancer. The subjects were then medically examined for any side effects.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office condemned the test conducted by Volkswagen and asked the carmaker to make full disclosure surrounding its practices. Christian Schmidt, Germany's transport minister, also condemned the tests, saying they only deepen the mistrust in the German automotive industry, especially after Monkeygate surfaced.

Animal rights organization Peta also reacted: ““There is nothing fair about condemning these complex, sensitive animals to suffer physical suffering and psychological torment in laboratories where they are caged and deprived of fresh air, sunshine, freedom of movement, the companionship of others, and just about everything else that makes any life worth living,” they said in a letter send to VW, according to The Independent.

On Tuesday, Volkswagen announced its decision to suspend Thomas Steg, General Representative of the Volkswagen Group and its chief lobbyist, for the duration of the investigation it has started. Officially, VW distances itself from the experiments and blames them on individual decisions, not on a company policy.

The monkey experiments that started this scandal has been commissioned by the European Research Group on Environment and Health in the Transport Sector, a group also included Daimler and BMW. Daimler also announced the start of an investigation into the matter.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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