By: E&P Staff The Washington Times has received the Society of Professional Journalists' Award of Excellence in the Public Service Category for its multimedia investigative report, "Disposable Heroes," the newspaper announced Tuesday.
The award, presented this past weekend, honored reporter Audrey Hudson, photographer Rod Lamkey and videographer Alex Wilson.
"In June 2008, Hudson began a three-month series documenting how the Veterans Administration (VA) subjected returning Iraq and Afghan veterans, with post traumatic stress disorder, to a medical experiment using an anti-smoking drug known to have psychotic effects," a Times announcement stated. "As part of her investigation she learned that it took three months before those veterans being tested were informed of the dangers."
The story prompted congressional hearings, an internal investigation and new procedures for protecting VA patients, the Times added.
"Being able to affect the lives of vulnerable people in a positive way is one of the hallmarks of public service journalism," Times Executive Editor John Solomon said in a statement. "These returning veterans lacked basic medical protections and we are proud that Audrey, Rod and Alex brought this injustice to light in a powerful multimedia presentation that prompted necessary changes inside the VA."
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