Written Assignment for MODULE 7 HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION
Based on Munson, Ronald. INTERVENTION AND REFLECTION.6th ED.,Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company,2000 . Page 546 Decision Scenario #4
“ In effect,” said Dr. Branchero , “the drug is a powerful tranquilizer. We’re not sure how it works, but we know that it has a great calming effect on people diagnosed as schizophrenics. It’s much like thorazine, which you have heard of.”
“Does it have any side effects?” Sylvia Banks asked.
“If taken over a period of a couple of weeks. It produces a palsied condition—muscular tremors, difficulty in walking and in controlling the face muscles, and so on. These don’t seem to be permanent.” “We don’t know the likely effects in other people. Perhaps you will notice no change at all or maybe you’ll never develop the muscular tremors. But it’s possible you’ll develop the muscular tremors. But it’s possible you’ll develop the sooner or more severely. That’s part of what we need to find out.”
“I’m not in danger of death, then?”
“All medication has associated with it some risk. But we don’t believe the risk here to be great. There is some possibility of long-term nerve or brain damage. We simply don’t know the risks here.”
“And you need so-called normal people like me to act as subjects so that you can compare the effects of the drug on us with its effects on schizophrenics?”
“Exactly right,” said Dr. Branchero . “But I should tell you that you may not get the drug. None of involved in the experiment as patients or experimenters will know who is getting tranquilizer and who is getting a placebo.”
“So maybe I’m not running any risk at all,” said Sylvia Banks .
“Maybe not. But your participation is still important. This drug may do much to relieve the symptoms of a great number of schizophrenics.”
“Now, if I understand correctly,” said Sylvia Banks , “ I will be paid for my participation.”
“That’s right. You will be paid a flat fee for participation—half at the beginning of the study and the rest at the end. I want you to be clear on one thing, however. You must waive your right to claim compensation due to any injury or ill effects you may suffer as result of the medication.”
“I understand that. I’ve got to take a risk. I’m not too happy about that, but I don’t get a job and I need the money so I can go back to school next semester.” Sylvia Banks
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MODULE 7 HUMAN EXPERIMENTATION
ASSIGNMENT OPTION 1 CRITICAL THINKING:
1. State what the ethical problems are in this case above involving Sylvia Banks . There are several. State at least three of them.
2. Use only ONE of either of these two articles!!!!! State what the author’s ethical position would be in this case of Sylvia Banks if they were asked.
State what the ethical position (ethical principle used by) of Hellman and Hellman would be concerning this situation with Sylvia Banks and why you think so. Summarize their thinking-use quotes.
The ethical principles were presented in Module/Chapter 2 and include Egoism, Utility, Natural Law, Categorical Imperative, Maxi-Min Principle, Existentialism, Feminism. Refer to one or more of these as ethical principles when answering assignments. Do not use the Moral Principles of Health Care as Ethical Principles. The Moral Principles involved in Health Care include: Autonomy, Informed Consent, Truth Telling, Confidentiality, Privacy. These are NOT the basic ethical principles such as include Egoism, Utility, Natural Law, Categorical Imperative, Maxi-Min Principle, Existentialism, Feminism. The moral principles are popular and recognized in several ways in health care including in “codes” and in statements of “rights” because there are so many of the Basic Ethical Principles that support the moral judgment that these MORAL Principles of Health Care are a MORALLY GOOD THING. OR
State what the ethical position (ethical principle used by) Hans Jonas. What would Hans Jonas make of this case of Sylvia Banks? Would he think it was being handled in a manner that was morally correct or not? Summarize his thinking-use quotes.
READ Hellman and Hellman are Samuel Hellman and Deborah H. Hellman authors of “Of Mice but not Men: Problems of the randomized Clinical Trial” New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 324 no 22 (1991) pp 1585-1589
READ Title: Philosophical Reflections on Experimenting with Human Subjects Author: Hans Jonas Publication Information: This essay is included, on pp.105-131, in a 1980 re-edition of Jonas’ Philosophical Essays: From Current Creed to Technological Man, published by the University of Chicago Press available here
Summary and comments here:
