Health Law & Ethics

Health Law & Ethics

Health Law & Ethics 

Ethics in the Real World- Issue Spotting Project

Individual Project Guidelines & Example

Guidelines:

Project Due: Weekly. (10 Assignments)

Project: Select 3 or more topics of interest from our textbook (for the upcoming lecture). Research each of these topics in the news media. Identify one relevant example per topic and discuss as outlined below. All of the topics should have examples that come from a timely news article (online) or video (YouTube, etc.) that has a medical, dental or medial research element. All content, including videos MUST be G rated. No excessive use of curse words, and all content should be sensitive to the topics of religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, politics, national origin, etc.

Grading Rubric: Each of the 10 assignments within the Individual Project is worth 10 points for a total of 100 points toward your individual project grade. How these 10 points are earned is set forth below in the format section. 

EXAMPLE: Next Week’s Scheduled lecture is for Chapter 22. (Even if we haven’t made it in class to CH 22, the assignment in the syllabus is for Chapter 22.) The Chapter is about Animals and Medical Ethics. 3 topics in the chapter (and yes, I am making this part up) are Penguins, Platypus, and Mice. EACH TOPIC should follow the format, be single spaced and about ¾ of a page. Font: Arial, Size 12, 1” margins, top and sides.

Format: 

Topic: X
Definition/elements of the topic selected (.1 points, yes you can use the book definition)

Summary of Article in 3 sentences (more or less). (.3)

Analysis: Tell me about the article/video and why you believe this is a good example of your topic. I WANT TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS. I DO NOT WANT YOU TO REWRITE LONG PASSAGES FROM THE ARTICLES. I YOU’RE YOUR THOUGHTS. WHY DID YOU SELECT THIS ARTICLE. HOW DOES IT APPLY TO THE TOPIC? Writer’s Block is a real thing. If you are having trouble coming up with something to say.. think about these questions and see if it helps. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS there are just here to get you thinking critically about what you are reading and how it matches back up with the topic you selected. Things to think about: What is it that made you select this article? What is the ethical issue, or what could be the future ethical issue presented in this article? How does this article present the statements of fact (as alleged in the article) that compare to the definition? Do you believe there are enough facts that match the definition, or do you think there is something missing that the article should have addressed? Could something else have happened/ some sort of intervention that would have changed the situation for the better? What could have been done to ensure this did not happen, or in positive articles, how can this be done again? Why is this article important for your classmates to read? PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I AM EXPECTING GRADUATE LEVEL WORK. (2.5 points)

Hyperlink or time stamp (movie)/page number (book) (.1 points)

Example:

Topic: Platapi

Definition: The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. The animal is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus(Ornithorhynchus), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record. (Wikipedia) Also, it has poisonous spurs on their webbed feet.

Summary of Article: Australian scientists discovered platypus milk may have a novel chemical structure that may lead to the creation of a new type of antibiotics for superbugs. Platapus does not have teats, so it expresses milk onto its stomach to allow their offspring to feed. It is hypothesized that this this non-sterile delivery method may have allowed the animal to develop some antibacterial properties to help protect the young from infection. 

Analysis: This article is an excellent example of how extraordinary creatures can lead to discoveries of new drugs. This brings about several interesting ethics issues. First, if this research brings about a new antibiotic that will kill superbugs, who should pay for the research and development of the drug? Should the pharmaceutical company who holds the first patent on the medication be allowed to operate with a monopoly on the medication, thus setting their own prices for the cure? Should this new cure be made available to everyone? Can any doctor prescribe this medication, or should it be reserved for use only after all other drugs have failed? If this drug is developed overseas, should the country be required to release it all over the world, or just for citizens? If it is developed and used outside of the USA, how much testing should be done before providing it to our citizens? Can it be marketed online and shipped into the USA without FDA approval? Should the FDA issue warnings about use of Platapus based antibiotics to citizens considering travel to a foreign country to get a prescription? How should doctors become better informed about a drug that isn’t available in the country where they work? Should doctors recommend against the medication because it has not been approved by the FDA, or should the doctors direct patients to peer reviewed articles for the products and allow the patient to make their own determinations? What if this is the last new antibiotic, it also becomes overprescribed and there is nothing left to kill superbugs? I believe this article is important for the class to review because it leads to some interesting discussions about the post antibiotic era. Your analysis does not have to be a bunch of questions. It can be regular paragraphs. The analysis MUST BE AT LEAST ½ page. more is better! 

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/mar/15/platypus-milk-unlikely-weapon-in-fight-against-superbugs