Should Sick People Be Paid to Risk Their Lives?

The dilemma concerning whether or not sick patients should be paid for medical research is raised in a solution proposed by two health policy experts. They argue that if drugs are already moderately effective, patients have no reason to risk their lives for drugs that may be better. However, rules exist which limit patients to only receiving stipends of certain values, and these rules are enforced to prevent people from risking their lives deliberately for cash. People who volunteer in medical research of this sort are always informed of the circumstances and the benefits which may result from the experiment.

Should there be monetary rewards for participants in life-risking experiments? Why or why not? Do the benefits of the experiments outweigh the risks for the patients?

Why Not Artificial Wombs?

This article talks about past experiments in using the wombs of animals for other species. Artificial wombs are on the horizon–or should scientists stick to using other organisms' wombs? There is thought that artificial wombs would relieve mothers of the burden of carrying their children. If so, the question of, "what does it mean to be a mother?" pops into place. With artificial wombs, fetus would be developed externally and might become things rather than people.

Should there be artificial wombs? Why or why not? Why would people want to use them?

The National Endowment for the Humanities

The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded The Hastings Center a challenge grant to support an endowment for a major new humanities research program. The $425,000 grant, to be matched by at least $1.275 million raised from private sources, will begin The Hastings Center Humanities Research Initiative, which aims to expand the Center’s core commitment to humanities-based scholarship in bioethics and to provide leadership in this area. This initiative will  provide financing of a Senior Humanities Research Scholar Chair who will pursue research in bioethics and the humanities and advance the humanities work of fellow people at Hastings. The Chair will also create and direct a Humanities Scholar-in-Residence Program.

Do you think its right for a research program to get this much money, than feeding the poor and hungry, or donating it to food banks?

Medical examiner gives unclaimed bodies to science

For November:

A medical examiner's office in Chicago set a two-week deadline for bodies to be claimed at the morgue, or risk their being donated for medical research. People claim that the time frame is short, but in response, people have argued that holding bodies for longer than two weeks becomes really complicated, which include identification, investigation, embalming, etc.


Do you agree with this policy? If someone doesn't claim a corpse in two weeks, it will be donated to science?

US mothers participate in clinical trials to make ends meet

This article is about how some mothers in the United States are participating in clinical trials to help their financial needs or make some extra cash. These clinical trials have helped most of these mothers secure themselves some health check-ups, free medication that is needed, and money. From this testing, some mothers have found diseases, like breast cancer, HIV, and hepatitis, which was good and the clinic would provide medication or medical attention to help them with their problems. However, with them being tested on by many drugs or medication, they can also have side effects on their bodies. Examples of negative side effects could be brain damage, heart problems, nausea, etc.

If you were a mother, would you do this to help lift your financial problems off your shoulders, but risk your life for your children and family?

German ethicists can’t agree on humanized animals

The German Ethics Council (Deutscher Ethikrat) has recommended that researchers be allowed to insert human genes into mice in a major report on human-animal mixtures. But special permission will be needed to insert human genes into apes. Some practices should be banned, it says: introducing animal material into human germlines, producing human sperm or eggs in an animal, and implanting animal embryos into humans.

However, on the highly controversial creation of cybrids (or chimeras), or growing embryos by inserting the nucleus of a human cell into an animal egg, the Council failed to reach a consensus. No German laws appear to cover the procedure, which some researchers hope to use to produce embryonic stem cell lines. Thirteen members of the council recommended that scientists should be allowed to do it; 11 were opposed.

Basically, should it be allowed for scientists to insert human genes into mice to humanize them?

Students' Meningitis Shots Should Be Required

People ages 15-24 are at high risk to get meningitis. Many people are scared at the thought of getting it and many are in fear of getting the vaccine. In 23 states, it is required for college freshman to get the meningitis vaccine. Every year, 3000 people get the disease.

Do you believe meningitis vaccines should be a requirement? Do you believe it is ethical mandate vaccinations or should it be one's choice to get the vaccine or not?

At What Price, Immortality

Transhumanism has become very common in the world. To be a transhumanist means to encourage the development of technologies that would prolong one's lifespan to perhaps more than one hundred years more than the average life expectancy. Transhumanism is a movement in which individuals are implanting the idea that technology should advance in order to help with this process of expanding one's physical, intellectual, and psychological capacities. The flaw behind this movement? Transhumanists believe there is no essence of nature that should be respected or preserved; that nature itself is entirely flawed. We, as humans, should (the transhumanists believe) are already going into the path in creating regenerative medicine to a post-human future for all, which means becoming what Margaret Somerville calls "techno-sapiens." However, we would no longer be human. We might lose ourselves in the process and become "machines" of the future. Transhumanists argue post-humans will be more ethical and moral than present humans, the wars and conflict will cease, and so on. If immortality would become such a major "trend" in society, what chances will there be for later generations to take on as the present generations are still alive?

Although feared by many, what role does death play in the human life cycle? Is it an important one?
If you had the chance, would you like to become a "techno-sapien"?

Senators Question Deals to Block Generic Lipitor

US Senators have asked the drug maker Pfizer and five other health companies to detail their agreements to block prescriptions of generic versions of the cholesterol drug Lipitor and sell only the Pfizer brand-name version. Doing this is an effect from the ending on the Lipitor patent and now the senators wish to have the government regulate the drug to promote the general welfare. Although by selling one generic brand of drugs, it would make a less competitive market which would stimulate profit and be more available to public access. However, it is feared that this can cause a monopoly on the lipitor market and cause Medicare, and other healthcare programs to reply on Pfizer corporation where they must pay their prices.

Is it a mistake to allow government regulation over such a drug? do the drugs pose as a danger to society?

Publicly Insured

This article dealt with doctors refusing to make appointments to publicly insured child patients. Two out of three publicly insured child patients were refused an appointment while only eleven percent of privately insured child patients were refused. Publicly insured patients who were given an appointment also had to wait an average of forty two days compared to privately insured patients who waited an average of twenty two days for an appointment.

Is it against "doctor code" to deny a patient treatment and/or attention based on whether or not they are privately insured?

Turn on, tune in and get better?

This article is about scientists finding new uses for hallucinogens and street drugs for study of legitimate therapeutic uses, such as helping patients deal with post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, chronic pain, depression and even terminal illness. They believe these agents have the potential to help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, drug or alcohol addiction, unremitting pain or depression, and the existential anxiety of terminal illness. In their next incarnation, these drugs may help the psychologically wounded tune in to their darkest feelings and memories and turn therapy sessions into heightened opportunities to learn and heal. Researchers explored the usefulness of hallucinogenic agents as an adjunct to psychotherapy in the 1950s and '60s. But allegations that hallucinogens were used in government-funded "mind control" efforts, freewheeling experimentation by proponents like Dr. Timothy Leary and the drugs' appeal to a generation in revolt quashed legitimate research for decade. The thaw has been slow in coming. In 2008, Griffiths co-wrote a report in the Journal of Psychopharmacology comparing psilocybin with a placebo for people dealing with incurable diseases. Psilocybin resulted in "mystical experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance," according to the study, the first since 1972 to explore a hallucinogen's therapeutic value.

The question is--
Is it worth it to use hallucinogens and street drugs, for legitimate therapeutic uses? Does it really benefit and help society as a whole?

A Chinese practice ...without consent, say what?

In China, there is a practice of transplanting organs of the deceased, executed prisoners. However there is a twist, they were not informed (while still alive) of what doctors and others may do to their bodies. This strips people of their basic human rights.

Questions to consider:
- Sound familiar?
- Although this is considered a "barbaric practice," the practice is not wasting such life-saving organs. Is that still wrong?

The Case for Enhancing People

This article talks about inevitable enhancements in the near future as science marches on. However, the type of enhancements are a huge concern, as the reasons behind getting such a leg up on other people aren’t very virtious in most regards. But today, we currently enjoy a longer life span and better health (in general) than we did in the past. Would that be considered that bad of an enchancement?

Should there be enhancements? If so, what kind and why? If not, why?

Medicare to Pay for Obesity Counseling

In addition to providing the elderly with low-cost health insurance coverage, Medicare will now pay for obesity screening and intensive behavioral counseling. This has been set up to combat obesity in persons aged 65 or older. While some people are pleased about this, many experts in medical fields say that this program won't come through with many benefits, critiquing that if these types of people are obese when they reach old age, there will be little hope for them to break this habit.

Should Medicare be allowed to cover additional costs even though it is running out of money to support those aged 65 and over?

Cancer drug 'scalpers' corner US market

This article is about companies who buy drugs that are in short supply that are used to treat cancer patients. Then the companies that have bought the treatments that are in low supply resell it from prices that may be 650 to 4000 percent over the usual cost. In turn, hospitals that buy these products will have to pay more that they should and also charge the patient more for the treatment. The vendors act as a middleman and hike up the prices because of scarcity. In the end if the patient cannot afford the treatment, the debt will have to be covered by the hospital.

Why is it that law enforccement is not taking action to stop the reselling of the products that are extremely overpriced.

Custody of obese children!

In this article a eight year old kid who is two hundred pounds was taken away from his house because he was obese Cuyahoga County officials felt that his obesity put him at risk. The question that came up was would it be more beneficial for kids to leave their house for foster care so that they can try to be more healthy or just stay in the same household knowing that the kid may be at risk for the rest of their lives? Arthur Caplan, a professor of bioethics and medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania says that there could be possibility of a intervention for the kid to be able to eat more healthy in the future.

Does the media portray a bad image to children about what they should eat?
Are parents the ones that need to take responsibility in what their child eats?
Should obease children be brought into foster care to help better their diets so that they can be able to change their diet in the future.

New brain vaccine aims to turn fatal disease into chronic ones.

In this article scientists are trying to change brain tumors, or brain cancer, from a fatal killer to a manageable disease. Today the five year survival rate for brain cancer is 1%, the University of Miami and nine other institutes are trying to end the tumor’s fatal reputation through clinical experiments. The new vaccine is given quickly after a patient’s diagnosis with glioblastomas. Chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments are then stopped. Glioblastomas are the most devastating tumor and account for 30 percent of all brain tumors. So far the clinical vaccine is in Phase I of the trial with 10 patients, with hope to soon move onto Phase II, which with more patients could hopefully result in the FDA approval.

Do you think cancer patients should shop treatments to thy this experimental vaccine?

New Hope of a Cure of H.I.V.

In this article, a man that received a bone marrow transplant was cured of HIV and has been living well for the past four years. The patients immune system was replaced by a donor's. The donor was among the one percent of Northern Europeans who are naturally resistant to the infection. After witnessing the experiment, scientists tried to modify other immune cells to make them resistant to HIV. As previously incurable diseases slowly become curable, humanities weaknesses are becoming fewer and fewer. Are weakness and disease things that make us human? Is it ethical to eliminate all of humanities weaknesses?

Bionic contact lens 'to project emails before eyes'

Yes, it is actually being tested. Technology is so advanced that this is a possibility to have in our society in the very near future. As close they think they may be, there could be some key factors that they will have to work out before they sold these. This quite impressive. But, is this too advanced for our world? DO you think technology is taking over our world slowly but surely?

Read this article for more details and let me know what you think?

An Artificial Pancreas Could Cure Diabetes

Doctors and Scientists at the University of Virginia are trying to develop a Artificial Pancreas that could ultimately be the cure for Type-1 diabetes. The artificial pancreas will produce insulin and mimics the glucose regulation function of a regular pancreas. Patients who participated in the trials say that it brings some "normalcy" back to their lives and they do not have to worry about the diabetes. Diabetes is becoming more common every day and can be a very serious disease if not properly taken care of and can result in loss of vision, amputation of limbs and even death. Diabetes is a serious disease and the "Artificial Pancreas" will certainly make a big difference and help those with Type-1 Diabetes. The US FDA still has not approved the device and has set up guidelines that need to be meet by the device's inventors.

Should the F.D.A. approve the Artificial Pancreas? Why or Why not?

U.S. Doctors Disagree on When Pregnancy Starts

Many doctors are going against the common belief that pregnancy starts during implantation, a week after fertilization, and think pregnancy starts at conception. The common belief was put into place by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology which defined the beginning of pregnancy as when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus, or implantation, which happens roughly a week after fertilization.

When do you think pregnancy starts?

Euthanasia

This article dealt with the idea of euthanasia. Euthanasia comes from the greek language and means "good death." Euthanasia is taking somebody off of life support when they are in a vegetative or very painful state with no sign of recovery. In this situation the spouse or parents call whether or not the person is pulled off of life support.

Are we playing god by pulling the plug or do we play god by putting a person with no chance of recovery on life support?
http://www.bioethics.org.au/Resources/Resource%20Topics/Euthanasia.htm

Matching Sport with DNA

This is an article about DNA is used to figure out which sport a kid should play. The parents would by a kit that costs $160 and then swab some DNA on a q-tip. Then, they would send it into a lab where they would test if it has this one particular ACTN 3 Gene which directly corresponds to fast-twitch explosive muscles. There is controversy because many people think this is a scam.

Question: Would you do something like this if you had your child?

UK Medical Body Lobbies Free Funerals For Organ Donors.

A medical group in Britain has stated through reports that the Parliament (the U.K.'s government) pay for the funeral or organ donors. The medical group hope that this will boost the shortage of organ donors in the U.K. The report's co-author Keith Rigg told the CBS, "We have ruled out giving people a direct financial incentive to donate," CBS has stated that there is very little difference from how medical schools often cover burial or cremation costs of people who donate their bodies to science. The only difference is the controversial issue of organ donation. For this reason no decision has been reached. Do you think it's fair that the cost of burial or cremation of people who donate their bodies to science is covered yet the cost for organ donors is not? Do you think people should be organ donors?

FIrst U.S. Conviction for organ trafficking.

An Israeli man, Izhak Rosenbaum has been convicted for organ trafficking. The donors were paid $10,000. The operations were performed in American hospitals including  Johns Hopkins. Rosenbaum's expertise in coaching donor to deceive the hospitals that the donations were voluntary.

Would you be a Donor? Why or why not?

Killing the Willing

On Thursday (Oct 20), 38-year-old Christopher Johnson was executed by lethal injection in an Alabama prison after only four years on death row. The average time between sentencing and death in the US is currently about 14 years, but Johnson consistently declined to appeal or ask for clemency. He had murdered his six-month-old son to spite his estranged wife.

Opponents of the death penalty said that Johnson was an example of death penalty “volunteers” who are using execution as a kind of assisted suicide.

Do you think murders are used as assisted suicides when they are sentenced to be executed?

Mississippi debates personhood in abortion battle

Proposition 26 on the Mississippi ballot believes that personhood begins at conception and that abortion should no longer be allowed. This proposition would ban all abortions even tjose from rape or incest. The republican candidate for the Governor of the state of Mississippi is co-chairman of Prop 26 and the democratic representative says that he will support the proposition as well. Supporters of the prop are hoping that the members of the Supreme Court will see the embryo as a person and therefore make abortion into murder. This is their hope and they have a strong belief that this will happen.

Why are people not allowed to get an abortion even in the conception came from rape or incest?
Do you think the supreme court will pass this?

Augmentation Debate Takes On a New Level as it Influences a New Video game

A new video game has been created called Deus Ex, in which the player lives in a scientifically dominated world in the year 2027. Where the world is obsessed with this idea of transhumanism, or using technology to transcend homo sapiens. In the game, a human can get brain enhancements that can assist them in social interactions. This game was created with the assistance of scientists who described many of the actual scientific advancements everyone should be prepared to see in 2027 and even earlier.

Do you believe scientific advancements that improve the human being not only physically but now mentally will help society grow or hinder it? Does the possibility that this strange and almost unbelievable video game becoming reality scare you or excite you?

Stem cell clinics ripping off patients, bullying scientists

The article re-visits the controversy that is in the study of stem cell research. Stem cell research is a now profitable process where many scientists offer stem cells for all medical processes. Recently, a 36 year old man was treated with esophagus cancer as he was given an entirely new windpipe made of stem cells. Even professional athletes turn to stem cells for quick recoveries and physical therapies. Scientists now seeing the supply and demand of stem cells, are now overcharging patients for stem cell treatment. Patients are being bullied as they are now over paying for stem cells that may not even guarantee the results promised by doctors and scientists. However, the need to feel young and healthy has been consumed by the modern people. Millions of dollars are spent around the world as people will way whatever it takes to feel young, causing themselves to be ripped off by stem cell researchers.

Why is modern society obsessed with being young and willing to pay so much money for non guaranteed treatment?

First US Conviction for Organ-Trafficking

An Israeli man has been convicted in the first proven case of organ-trafficking in the United States. Levy Izhak Rosenbaum admitted to a court in New Jersey that he had brokered three illegal kidney transplants after payments of $120,000 or more. He admitted to FBI officers that he had done more than just three deals over a few years. He also confessed to how he convinced donors to deceive American hospitals. "A black market in human organs is not only a grave threat to public health, it reserves lifesaving treatment for those who can best afford it at the expense of those who cannot," said New Jersey's US Attorney, Paul Fishman. "We will not tolerate such an affront to human dignity."


What is the issue with organ-trafficking? Why do you think people try to sell human organs to other people?

Daughter will receive transplant of her mother’s womb

Melinda Arnold, after many years of wanting to be a mother, is set to receive a transplant of her mother's womb. This is the first operation of its kind in Australia. Mrs Arnold was born without a womb but with ovaries that produce eggs, and she and her husband unsuccessfully tried to use her mother, Denise Allen, as a surrogate. Attempts at adoption also failed. 

Should someone concieve baby if the womb is not theirs? Is there any moral issues concering this topic? Should doctors have any say in doing these surgeries?

Freedom Rights For Teachers Being Threatened?

Recently, a teacher has been put in the spotlight because of her inappropriate anti-gay comments on Facebook. Ms.Knox as well as another teacher who posted an inappropriate picture mocking on of his special-ed students are being attacked by the media and enraged parents who are pushing the new anti bullying legislation passed in New Jersey.

Is it okay for a legislation to limit the words of a teacher? If so, would that be going against our right to freedom of speech?

Stem-cell find breathes new life into lung repair

There have been new stem cells researched that would cure people with damaged lungs, whether it be from smoking or people with asthma. It was first tested on mice and it worked. It is very similar to the H1N1 vaccine. The real question is can it be trusted? One scientist says that it has great potential to help a lot of people. But, if this was made, would it give people an excuse to smoke? That is a potential risk, but like I said it would help people with asthma and most likely help to make their lives easier

Doctors to Sue Over New Kansas Abortion Clinic Rules

Recently, Kansas has imposed new rules in terms of performing abortions. Abortion, which is not illegal in Kansas, must be done with a specific set of drugs and equipment under the new law. This law, which has already been challenged to eliminate the specific room size part, still needs to be changed in the opinion of three doctors, who are challenging the new law. They believe that some of the restrictions under the new law are medically unnecessary and can harm the process of giving an abortion.

Should abortion be a state controlled issue, or should abortion clinics be privately ran and mandated?

Would you like to see abortion clinics eliminated all together?

Making Sense of Life Regardless of Beliefs or Religion

This is a press release for Jesuit Fr. Robert Spitzer's book of philosophy. It offers a look at such standards in Ten Universal Principles: A Brief Philosophy of the Life Issues.

He states that "The evolution of culture and civilization has arisen out of the development of ten fundamental principles". He note that three of them deal with evidence and objective truth; three deal with ethics; three deal with the dignity and treatment of human beings; and the tenth represents what is generally known as "The Golden Rule." He also asserts that failure to teach and practice any one of the principles can lead to a variety of wrongs. "Failure to teach several of these principles," he adds, "will most certainly lead to widespread abuse and a general decline in culture." In an easy-to-read format, Fr. Spitzer transcends religious beliefs to offer sound and keystone reasoning that can guide our thoughts and actions; our laws and public policies.

How should we treat others, and how should we reasonably expect them to treat us? Are there reasonable principles, regardless of religious belief, that can guide our actions, especially when human life is at stake?

Steve Jobs Liver Trans Plant

This article talks about liver transplants, particularly having to do with Steve Job's liver transplant in 2009. There is a controversy on how the system of liver transplants should work. With liver transplants being so tough to get a hold of and the cost of acquiring one is so high, it almost seems impossible to attain one. Steve Job's was lucky enough to be able to get a liver, but the main point of the story is that how can the system be changed to help better the people who really need a liver. Should the system of attaining a liver transplant be changed and made more fairly so that everyone has a equal opportunity to get a transplant even without being able to pay fully for it?-Alvin Leung

Anthrax Vaccine on kids?

This article is about testing an anthrax vaccine on kids. It talks about whether, if kids should be tested with this vaccine now, when there is no threat of an anthrax attack, or later if it happens in a bioterror war. Anthrax is now one of several potential bioterror weapons. The main question is whether parents would sign their children up for this vaccination when there is no need for it now. It is impossible to get anthrax from the vaccine, but their are side effects that can harm the child if taken. This is what needs to be taken into account. The side effects, that happened in adults, include soreness at the site of the injection, muscle aches, fatigue, and headaches are the main one. The rare side effect that can happen is allergic reactions and even though it is rare, it has still be reported. Also anthrax is hard to treat once it is in your body, so do we deal with this growing issue now or later?

Grey Matters: Just Enhancement

This article talks about pharmaceuticals that enhance the abilities of people, from having better memorization skills to being awake longer. All of these drugs raise the questions of whether these substances should be banned to all but the sick/elderly or whether they should be distributed everywhere and available for use to everyone, regardless of mental and physical condition. Moreover, if we allow everyone on the planet to take these drugs, will the playing field gap increase or decrease. Lastly, should enhancement medicine be allowed to be researched further and further until taking these enhancement drugs become a part of our daily routine?

Do what makes you happy

In the article, a single mom named Susanne Eman is trying to eat her way to 1,600 pounds. She stated that she was attracting more men as she was gaining weight and it made her feel good. She is a type of women that feels that they look better as she gains weigh. However, the morbidly obese have higher heath risks than the "healthy" and she already has a second goal of a ton if she reaches her primary goal of 1,600 pounds. If she reaches her goal, she will be the fattest person in the world. Her physician says, "She's really playing Russian roulette with her life with this goal."

Should a person do whatever makes them happy even if the risks outweigh the benefits?

Plan calls for free funerals for organ donors, but would it work?

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics (UK-based) thinks that free funerals will solve the reason for organ shortages. This plan would only work if you are near death. If you are still alive and healthy, then you do not qualify. Author of the article Keith Rigg says that the free funeral idea would not benefit the donor, but it can help their surviving family in a difficult time. There are 18 million people registered donors in the UK, but only about a 1,000 actually donate - mostly because few die, allowing their organs to be donated. Not all ethicists think that this plan will work though. Dr. Art Caplan (director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania) believes it is an "odd reward" and "It reminds people of how they get to be an organ donor and may make them nervous." Dr. Robert Gatson (president of the American Society of Transplantation) says that it is "insightful" but does not know exactly if that means it would work in the US. He brought up the Organ Transplant Act of 1984 and that this law would have to be changed in order for this to work. "A lot of people who support the altruistic system say any encouragement is unethical," Gaston said. "Our society would support new ways that would preserve the integrity of the donor and the donor family."

Do you think that is it okay to persuade or bribe people into giving an organ? Why or why not?

‘Cognitive Chaos’ May Fuel Marijuana’s Side Effects

Neuroscientists tested the effects of marijuana on rats by giving them cannabis-like compounds. After giving them the drug, they released the rats into a maze to measure their brain waves and other complexities related to the brain; they found that it affected memory formation in the brain. The neurologists also believe that marijuana may have a connection with schizophrenia in humans. Because of this, the neurologists are debating whether marijuana is okay to use for medical patients concerning its effects on the brain and its ability to manifest mental disorders.

Is the use of marijuana to relieve anxiety from medical patients acceptable, or do humans only seek marijuana for its pleasurable effects then abuse the drug once obtained? When is it acceptable to utilize marijuana's effects?

Guilty Plea to Kidney-Selling Charges

This article is about a man convicted of kidney-trafficking. Organ-trafficking is illegally jumping the transplant waiting list by transferring organs from donors to patients for large sums of money. The process is illegal because there is a high chance that the organ is diseased. However the man in the story did not run a business, but was sought out by the recipients of the organs. In addition the patients were able to fully recover and lead healthy lives.

In an age where people are able to survive after their kidneys fail, should the rich be able to pay their way to survival by jumping transplant wait lists when they need an organ donated? If organ-traffickers can aid people, should it be legal?

The End Don't Justify the Genes

This article deals with parents having their unborn child genetically altered in such ways to even have the same dissability as the parents. This was the case when a deaf couple featured in the Washington Post who had their child genetically altered so that the baby could also be deaf.. They were turned down at a sperm bank when they tried to find a deaf donor, because having a deaf baby would be a lot easier for the parents who were also deaf.. This sparked up an intense issue on whether parents should be able to alter their child at any point of the pregnancy for the benefit of themsekves. Altering children to be deaf is'nt the only alteration that can be made, a baby can be paralyzed, blind or miss out on limbs. The issue that was brought up is that it is unethical for a parent to alter their child in any way for their benefit.

Is it unethical for a parent to genetically alter their unborn child in such a way for their benefit?

Animal transplants coming 'soon'

Today, there is a high demand for organs. For transplants, stem cell research has been popular. But another alternative has been proposed, which is called xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation is using animals as a resource; researchers are now suggesting the use of animal organs in transplants.

Do you think the idea of Xenotransplantation is ethical?

Killing the willing

article by Michael Cook.

Christopher Johnson (38) was executed on October 21st by lethal injection in Alabama prison after four years on death row with the average time between sentencing and death in the U.S. is about 14 years. Johnson was constantly declining to appeal his sentence. This is an example of death penalty "volunteers" that use execution as a form of an assisted suicide. Cornell Law student studied this phenomenon and said 88% of people who declined the appeal had a mental illness -Johnson was never evaluated for this when he murdered his six-month-old son for the reason: "because I hate my wife."

- Ashlee Mercado

The Case for Kidney Markets

Kidneys are needed more than ever, with the article’s prediction of 650,000 kidney failure patients. The relationship between the donor and patient is supposed to be unreciprocal, the patient’s desperation for a working organ could strain that tenuous relationship. The number of donors are unlikely to rise in response to the amount of needed kidneys. Most of the donors are already dead and their families grant permission for the donations. However, the only allowed dead are those dead from brain death, a pool a little over 10,000 people. So to get more kidneys, it is suggested that an actual paying market instead of simply alturistic donations should be opened.

Should there be legal kidney markets? Or any other organ markets? Why or why not?

3 Parent Embroyos can prevent disease, but is it ethical?

It basically talks about how you can add another person's gene in a fertilized egg, but adding a new mitochondria. This technique is now being underattack because there are some ethical issues. Some issues that are brought up is that is the mitochondrial donor who donates their mitochondria a parent of the child they give the mitochondria to? Some say yes, while scientists say no, because you are not changing any physical attributes.

My question is the same the article gives out: Are the donors who donate their mitochondria the parent of the egg(child) they give it to?

Doing this ahead. Why not.

Neo Kim

Should Sick People Pay More to Risk Their Lives

This article is talking about people in hospitals are needing to pay for experimental medicine which may treat their illness better, or kill them. The topic was started after a drug was made for HIV patients. The recently made drug was offered to certain patients. The ethical issue was that the patients will be choosing between medicine that they know already works well enough, or potentially lethal medicine which may work better for their sickness.

Should people who need medicine for an illness, pay more for potentially lethal drugs which could work better?

Thousands in Calif. started school without vaccines

Many children are starting school without the proper vaccines needed because their parents are choosing not to get them the vaccine requirements due to "Medical Exemptions" and "Personal Beliefs Exemption." Medical Exemption is reserved for kids who can are allergic to some vaccines or have auto-immune disorders, this exemption needs extra information and a doctors signature. Personal Belied Exemption is an option that does not need extra information or a doctors signature. A lot of parents are turning to internet and stories heard from friends for health advice and because of this unvaccinated children are increasing. Last year, the whooping cough killed 10 babies and sickened 9,100 people.


Do you think that parents should maintain the right to opt out of having their child vaccinated?

New Australian Passports Allow Third Gender Option

Australia's new passport has a section for be who are either transgendered or lack a sex. On this passport, there will be a section marked with an X for these people. The passport's main purpose, according to an Australian senator, will help prevent gender discrimination. This new passport will also prevent classifying for people, since before this passport was created, people were required to have surgery designed to give a person a specific gender depending on which gender they preferred.

Is there a difference between gender and sex? Does a person's chosen gender lead to gender discrimination?

One Sperm Donor, 150 Sons and Daughters

This article is about the many children that can now be born from a single sperm donor. 150 children were conceived from the sperm of a single donor. Half siblings of children born through artificial insemination can now be tracked on a Web-based registry. As the number of children with similar genes increases, so do the chances of accidental incest between half-siblings. In addition, there is a possibility that genes for rare diseases are being spread throughout the population.

With the onset of artificial insemination, should there be laws governing how many children can be born from a single sperm donor? What would happen to society if all parents chose the same donor because of his superior genes?

Stem Cells

Stem Cell research has been an on-going issue in the U.S. since the 90's. Scientists have been researching the cells to see if they can be used to repair damaged cells that cause Cancer, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's. However, the stem cells are extracted from unborn embryos and that sparked the issue for the study. Pro-Life activists stepped in an said it was morally wrong to take the unborn child's life away, many big U.S. officials agreed. The U.S. Congress passed the Dickey-Wicker Ammendment in 1996 and has renewed it every year since. In 2006, Congress created a bill that expanded research due to people calling in but President Bush vetoed the bill. In 2010, Chief Judge Royce C. Lambert blocked President Obama's executive order to expand Stem Cell research. But now in May of 2011 the Federal appeals pannel appealed the decision and created what will be an extremely lengthy legal battle.

What is wrong about using embryos to come up with cures for serious and fatal diseases or injuries?

'Magic mushroom' drug may improve personality long-term

With advances in technology researchers have been searching and learning about new medicine that can be used. Researchers recently have experimented with hallucinogen psilocybin, it is the active ingredient in a magic mushroom. During the test the ingredient was able to change peoples personality. The scientist want to see if this drug could possibly help cancer patients feel less depressed.



Would being able to buy this type of drug at any store be good or bad for society?

Obstacles Slow an Easy Way to Prevent H.I.V. in Men

In many nations of Africa, men have more than a 60% chance of getting HIV. The international health authorities have concluded on a solution for such an epidemic, which is to circumcise 20 million men, 80 percent of 15-49 year-olds in 14 African countries by 2015. American officials estimate the 80 percent goal would cost $2 billion, but would save $16.5 billion by preventing 4 million infections. The plan is already in place as Kenya is furthest along with 330,000 circumcisions, a third of the government's goal, which exceeds the international health agencies' goal.

Does it intrude human rights to force millions of people to be circumcised?

Euthanasia and Elderly

Many elders, such as, Mary Alice Altorfer, have a great fear of having to use the euthanasia process. Euthanasia which is defined as physician assisted suicide, is often a very controversial topic. This article fights for the right to choose euthanasia. Many elderly people can accept that they have reached a point in there life where they have had enough, and the pain they experience is no longer tolerable.

Many elders would actually like to have the option of euthanasia, as an escape from their pain and suffering. Do you believe they should have such an option? or is life too precious to be taken? If a person is suffering or a 'vegetable,' is that enough reason to defend physician assisted suicide?

Growing Artificial Limbs

The article is about a woman from New Hampshire who sent her cells to a laboratory where scientists regrew her cartilage in her knee. She had such intense pain before surgery that she couldn't drive or walk up stairs; however, after the surgery with the artificial limb, she is able to do these things. This allows her to walk and drive like she could many years ago, but this is not the "original" her.

Should people be allowed to have artificial limbs attached to them? What effects could this have on society?

Guys may have weaker immune response

In this article it debates whether male's tend to have more weaker immune systems than females. They said it is mainly the flu that women won't catch as easily. It also explains why this may be true. Also there is evidence that there might be other virus' that male's don't get as easily.

How might affect males? How might it affect females?

The Cyborg in All of Us

This article talks about connecting technology to neurons, so that people who’ve lost much mobility can still interact with day-to-day life. It mainly concerns imagined speech. For example, if a person hooked up thought of a word, then the cursor on screen would react to that thought. It would also speed up life in general, especially with writing digitally. Instead of physically typing, the devices in the brain would connect the person’s thoughts to the computer and would only have to think about words, and the computer would ‘type’ out what the person is thinking.

How far do you think this will advance? Do you think normal, healthy people will start demanding implants of their own to gain advantages in life?

'Racist' bake sale at UC

At UC Berkley, studends held a bake sale where prices of the pastries depended on race. They claimed that Californians did not want to see ethnicities in college admissions. This was a protest against a pending law which if passed will force universities to accept students not based on race but rather other factors such as extracurricular activities.

Would it be an advantage of disadvantage to admit students only based on academics and other activities and why?

Hospitals refuse to tell parents sex of their unborn babies... because 'staff don't have time'

In this article, hospitals are refusing to tell parents the sex of their unborn babies. Hospitals claim that this is due to staff shortage, and that they’re “too busy to check the sex while carrying out pre-natal scans”, but experts believe that this refusal is really aimed to stamp out selective abortion. Selective abortion can be one of the possible reasons hospitals don’t give out gender information to parents because of its popularity. Among many cultures, female children are being selectively aborted because boys are highly valued.

This article posed a question, which I also thought about:
“Is it ethically right to tell a parent the sex of their unborn child, if you think doing so is going to pose a risk to that baby?”

Should Fast Food Be Banned?

The San Jose City Council rejected a one-year ban on the construction of new fast food restaurants. This proposal of the banning of fast food restaurants is due to the health effects of fast food, which are known to be detrimental. These ailments include obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. However, knowledge of these effects has never stopped humans from purchasing cheap fast food, especially during the hard economic times in the US. This brings up discussions to whether particular restaurants should be banned to aid public health.

Would the banning of fast food restaurants truly be beneficial to society, or would the results mirror those of Prohibition during the early 1900s? Does banning things from society resolve problems in the long-run, or are they just temporary resolutions?

Unnatural Selection: Is Prenatal Testing A Triumph for Reproductive Freedom—or Brazen Discrimination?

In July, about 37 parents and supporters in New Zealand complained about the International Criminal Court accusing their state, and in particular the Minister of Health, of crimes against humanity, because it encourages prenatal screening and selective abortion of unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome. It was first discovered last December, when research reported that they could reconstruct fetal DNA taken from the mother’s blood. Being able to analyze the DNA would allow the testing of genetic conditions, for example, one of the most common chromosomal disorders, Down syndrome, earlier in the pregnancy.

New developments in the laboratory show great moral reflection outside of it. Does this improve the human species? Like it or not, we are afforded a lot of liberty when it comes to reproductive decision-making. Is perfection even an entitlement?

Mom with Cancer Loses Custody of Kids

For several months, Alaina Giordano, a North Carolina mom fighting Stage 4 breast cancer, has also been fighting to keep custody of her children. It was ordered that her two children must move to Chicago, 800 miles away from Durham, to live with their father, Kane Snyder, before the start of the school year. Although, Alaina was proven to be their ultimate caregiver, it was not enough for her to keep them. She states, "I'm forced to make a decision between seeing my kids every day and not living as long to be their mom." She has come to believe that she is being discriminated against because of her illness. To this day, she continues to fight for her children and demonstrates how strong women can be.

Should those with diseases have the responsibility or capability to take care of others as well as themselves? Or should they only worry about their own life? Do you agree with the Supreme Court's decision to remove Giordano's children from her custody because of her sickness?

Ethical Issues in Genetics in the Next 100 Years

This article is saying that in 100 years we humans will expierence more dramtical change in genes and we may have a saying whether someone would want a boy or girl as their child. Scientist say this might be true because we are so advance in the study of genetics, and that only time will tell when we would able to choose our genetics. This article is also saying that we might be able to cure all different types of diseases or even cure cancer due to genetically modifying our genes.


Question:
Do you think we will be able to cure every disease in the world with a simple genetic modification?


-Alex Sykulski

Bioethics Professors Challenge Bachmann's HPV Claims

Michele Bachmann, a congresswoman and presidential contender from Minnesota, said that the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is too dangerous for girls to receive. She explained that once her daughter took the vaccine, she contracted mental retardation. Many are encouraging her to provide proof of this situation. Even two bioethics professors are willing to pay $10,000 for the medical evidence to prove that this is true.

How can a lady in such high politics think that she could get away with saying that because of a vaccine to prevent a disease, made her child contract another that can only be contracted through birth, and what was she thinking or wanting out of this?

Gene Therapy Ethics

Summary:

Gene therapy is the name given for when normal or genetically altered genes replace a person’s malfunctioning genes. Although it is still in the years of its infancy, people are beginning to question whether gene therapy is moral/ethical. There are many who are worried about parents genetically altering a babies genes’ even before the baby is born. This forces the rest of society to question if genetically changing the structure of humans is, to simplify it, good or bad for the good of mankind.

Questions posed:

If we alter and change the genes in our children to fit our desires, are we still going to love our children for who they are or for what they are doing? Say that these new alterations of the genes have become reality-will they ultimately destroy our morals and values?

Answer to Neo's question:

In today's world, people want to live longer, healthier, and disease-free lives. Due to this fact, doctors are always trying to find new cures and delays for diseases. They want to see the people happy and enjoying their life. To get to this goal they will go to extreme lengths to try to find a cure for humans, even if it means paying for already sick human beings to try new drugs. Doctors pay people to try these new drugs and vaccines because they will get to see the effects of this drug on humans, not animals.

"Italian court rules couple “too old” for daughter" by Jared Yee

Italian couple, Luigi (70) and Gabriella (57) were rejected to adopt because they were "too old." In response, they conceived now 18-month-old Viola using artificial insemination (the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female and impregnating her for means other than sexual intercourse). They had a "narcissistic need to have a child," and now a court in Italy recommends she is to be put up for adoption.

Question: Is it right to demand adoption for the couple? Is it okay to go through the process of artificial insemination for the couple's purpose, regarding their age?


- Ashlee Mercado

Should Sick People Be Paid to Risk Their Lives?

This article talks about the idea of paying patients to become a test subject for a new drug. It talks about the justifications about paying money for patients to risk using a new drug. It talks about the paradox that if a effective drug is already available, patients will have little reason to volunteer for tests of drugs that could be better. A good example they use is HIV. If there is a medicine that can make people live on for decades, why should they experiment with a new drug?

Question: Why would a doctor pay someone money to try a new drug, if there is already a good drug that can cure them already?

Neo Kim

Designer Babies?

Is it an acceptable use of technology to choose babies based on potential health concerns?  Is it an acceptable use of technology to choose babies based on physical appearance? Do you wish that your parents had changed a trait of yours--either eliminating something that's been difficult or given you some subtle advantage that you don't have? Do think it's a loving decision or a "messed up" decision to have a second (or third or fourth) child to help with the health problems of an earlier child?

Definition of human being

In class on Wednesday, you began discussing with your partner what it means to be human.  As a base line for our discussions this year, post a working definition of what it means to be human. A definition is both concise and precise. Post your definition as a comment to this post.  While I'll usually ask you to respond to others' posts, for this first post, simply share your ideas with the class.  This is due by 8AM on Friday.