PHY's Bioethics

This is a 1-credit seminar, taught every 2-3 years, on the major biological and medical ethical issues facing society. Weekly readings will be assigned and discussed in sessions largely run by students.

GRADING: 50% on attendance and participation (in class and on email poll questions); 50% on leading one discussion. TEXT: Bioethics and the New Embryology (Gilbert et al., 2005)

DATE	TOPIC	READING*	Discussion Leaders	WEB LINKS
Jan. 20	Introduction: Ethical Principles	Chap. 1	Yancey	----
Jan. 27	Scientific and Medical Ethics; Responsibility	Chap. 2	Yancey
Feb. 3	Human Experimentation: Informed Consent, etc.	Chaps. 14-15	Varonin
Feb. 10	Reproduction I: ART	Chap. 5	Andreas
Feb. 17	Reproduction II: Cloning, Stem Cells	Chaps. 4, 6	Stoehr, Constantino-Wallace	Clonaid news 2008
Feb. 24	Genetic Screening; Gene Patenting	Chap. 6	Zoline-Black
Mar. 3	Health Care Resources I: Rationing, HMOs, Insurance	TBA	Knox, Davis
Mar. 10	Health Care Resources II: Organ Transplants	Chap. 13	Applegate	www.unos.org
Mar. 14-29	Spring Break
Mar. 31	Death and Dying: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide	Chaps. 9-10	Dinh	Task Force on Euthanasia
Apr. 9 Thurs	Genetic Engineering I: Non-Human	Chap. 11	Fuchs
Apr. 14	Genetic Engineering: Human	Chap. 12	Mathewson
Apr. 21	Medical Marijuana etc.	TBA	Meyers
Apr. 28	Neuroethics	TBA	Sullivan
May 5	Animal Experimentation	Chap. 15	Beier
May 12	Environmental Ethics	Chap. 16	Minckler

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RECENT NEWS -- undergoing revision for 2009

Scientific/Research Ethics; Human Experiments

FDA ditches Declaration of Helsinki for overseas clinical research -- May 2008
The ethics of clinical research in developing countries -- Jan. 2008
UK Science head proposes Ethical Code for scientists -- Sept. 2007
Pres. Clinton fights AIDS in Africa -- Aug. 2006--working to lower drug costs -- Jan. 2006
Glaxo sued over AIDS deaths in Africa -- Nov. 13, 2003
Ways to improve Informed Consent Testable -- Jan. 2008
US panel recommends loosening restrictions on using prisoners for drug testing--Aug. 2006; Point/Counterpoint debate -- 2007
N. Koreans reportedly test chemical weapons on prisoners--Feb. 11, 2004

Reproductive Technology --ART; Cloning; Stem Cells

Human clones may be genetically viable -- Feb. 2009
Ethics debate over mother of 6 who has octuplets via IVF -- Jan. 2009
First embryonic stem cell trial approved by FDA -- Jan. 2009
Clonaid ready to show proof that they have been cloning human beings -- Dec. 2008
Obama to reverse Bush's regulations on stem cells -- Nov. 2008
Assisted reproductive technology linked to birth defects -- Nov. 2008
UK approves new embryo law -- Oct. 2008
UN to reconsider cloning ban -- Oct. 2008
Ethics of having baby to harvest stem cells questioned -- July 2008
The Stem Cell Ethics Debate --new rulings, Nov. 2003
Controversial organization funded by the US gov't distributes human embryos for adoption -- 2003

Euthanasia; Health Resources; Organ Transplants --not fully updated yet

Italian woman in right-to-die ethics case dies --Feb. 2009
Montana court OKs physician assisted suicide -- Dec. 2008
Washington State voters approve physician assisted suicide -- Nov. 2008
The Florida right-to-die case of Nov. 2003
US Plan to pay organ donors -- Oct. 9. 2003

Genetic Engineering --not updated yet

Engineered golf-course grass escapes into the wild--Aug. 2006
The latest news on GM Food --updated frequently
Genetically engineered "glo-fish" to be marketed -- Jan. 2004
Scientists propose to create a wholy new microbial lifeform --Nov. 2002 -- dawn of SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Neuroethics

ISSUE 1. Can the issues of stem cell research be separated from the question of whether or not a fetus is human?For example, even if you are opposed to abortion at any stage, could you condone fetal/embryonic stem-cell research because fetal/embryonic cells are going to be available anyway?
ISSUE 2A: Should research subjects in poor countries (e.g., for HIV studies) be provided the best possible medical care by (expensive) Western standards, not by local standards? Vote YES; NO; or DEPENDS (please comment) ISSUE 2B: Should research data obtained unethically by the Nazi medical experiments (including tortuous treatment) be used to help people and/or science today? Vote YES; NO; or DEPENDS (please comment)
Comments:
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ISSUE: In the attempt by infertile couples to produce a child (Vote for one) : A. Only parental autonomy should matter (i.e., anything with informed consent is allowed) B. Only parental autonomy should matter (with informed consent), EXCEPT cloning (which violates a critical natural boundary) C. Parental autonomy should matter, but should be limited in cases where harm to potential offspring are significantly higher than with natural reproduction. D. Most IVF and related techniques should be banned, as they cheapen society's regard for individuals. E. Other (please comment)
Comments:
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BIOETHICS SEMINAR, Spring 2009

Sites with general information and news on bioethics:

ISSUE : On the issue of Genetically Modified Products, do you favor: A: Required labeling of GM contents or origins B: No labeling requirement C: Unsure
ISSUE . Regarding health care in the US, do you favor: A: A National Health system similar to that in other western countries; B: All health care in private managed systems, but available to all; C: Keeping the current system; D: All health care based purely on fee for service