Essay on What Has Given Rise to the Need for Bioethics in the Development and Testing of New Products/Drugs/Practice Protocols?

Several issues related to controversies surrounding abortion, stem cell research, euthanasia and unethical drug trials have arisen in recent years, pitting interest groups such as religious institutions and research bodies against each other. Clearly, bioethics is a critical issue that links these disparate controversies, as these issues are all bioethical problems that affect certain population segments, and require adequate protections to ensure that these segments are not harmed. This essay will discuss the need for bioethics in the development and testing of new products, drugs and practice protocols in the light of greater competition, public accountability, technological advances, experimentation and fiduciary duties. This essay will then discuss the segments of the population that are more vulnerable than others to ethical violations, which include minorities, lower income and lower-educated segments, rare disease sufferers and individuals in developing countries. This essay will also cover the protections that are in place to serve as safeguards, in terms of regulation, democratic deliberation, public-private partnerships, non-governmental organisation campaigns and media exposes. Finally, this essay will discuss how further changes in legislation, public education and policy ( in terms of corporate and government policy) are necessary to improve the state of bioethics.