Ethical Issues of Human Test Subjects
As we achieve burgeons of new technologies, we must also face the irreprehensible sacrifices. The old scientific adage reminds us that no trial can go without error. Many of the present day technologies may prove beneficial but the processes of development and discovery often come at high prices. Countless experiments have been conducted in the names of science and the advancement of mankind. Regardless of their outcomes, these experiments require some form of a test subject. Any life sustaining test subject has been the root of many ethical issues, with human test subjects being one of the most controversial. Granted the advantageous products of labor, the definition for what we, as moral
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So little was known about plutonium, uranium, and the like. But thermal and chemical reactions provided some insight into the strength of their capabilities. In order for scientists to properly understand their force, experiments would have to be conducted.
A Case Study: Radioactive Tests At Fernald State School:
During the 1940s to 1950s, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Fernald State School in Waverly, Massachusetts collaborated on a experiment testing the effects of radioactive iron on human subjects. Researchers performed a “non-therapeutic nutritional studies with radioisotopes at the state school” (1) for the mentally retarded. The project, also funded by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, was initially addressed as for “addressing calcium metabolism.”(2) The test subjects, “young male residents of Fernald, who were members of the school's ‘science club’,” were daily fed micro curies of a radioisotope of calcium (Ca-45) in their cereal. They were also given milk daily and had blood, urine, and excrement samples taken accordingly to measure the calcium retention in their bodies. Several other experiments also included the oral or ingested intake of radioactive iodine. The amount of daily intake was considerably low and none of the experimental participants were
If one was to ask the question, “What do ethics mean to you?” These responses would be likely to follow. “Ethics is what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.” “Ethics have to do with my religious beliefs.” “Being ethical means following the laws.” Those replies would be expected. Many do relate ethics with their feelings, but it is not a matter of following feelings. In fact, we will often times stray from living ethically if we were guided by our feelings. Although religions urge high ethical standards, if ethics were limited to religion, ethics would only apply to religious people. Following the law is not the same as being ethical. Ethical standards may be incorporated in the law, but laws, won’t always conform to
Through the ages, men have been able to find cures for catastrophic diseases through scientific research. Thanks to these advances, men have been able to prolong the life span of people, or provide better quality of life in cases in which a cure of various maladies has not been possible. To achieve such progresses, scientists have made use of prior knowledge, new theories, and technology obtaining numerous prodigious outcomes. Unfortunately, there have been many who have used questionable means for such ends. The German Max Clara is another case of a man with power and knowledge of science, who has misusing them. This paper aims to briefly identify principles and standards that would have been violated these days according to the existing APA Code of Ethics. Finally, ethical implications of making a moral judgment on past actions by researchers regarding human experimentation are discussed.
We are going to explore the world of ethical issues in psychology. As in any medical or mental health fields there are rules we all must follow as professionals. In this essay today we will be exploring a case study where we have a young lady who has been stricken by a mental disability. We will be looking at the facts in which her disability was handled by a professional in the field of psychology. We also will be discussing the rights and wrongs that are presented in her case study. We will also be discussing the APA ethical codes and gain a clearer understanding of where some things went wrong and why shall we begin.
The experimentation of animals has been used for a multitude of years for research to advance a scientific understanding of a living organism. To this day animals are being tested on for the use of human products. In 3D-printing human skin: The end of animal testing? by Jessica Mendoza, Speculative Philosophy, the Troubled Middle, and the Ethics of Animal Experimentation by Strachan Donnelley, “Animals and Medical Science: A Vision of a New Era” by David O. Wiebers, Cruelty-free cosmetics benefit consumers as well as animals by The Sydney Morning Herald, and Technological Alternatives Can End the Experimental Use of Animals by George Dvorsky, show how Animal experimentation is redundant and needs to be diminished because there are
The practice of public health consulting raises ethical issues needed to protect the data and information collected from the population. Therefore, one legal issue is relevant to who take ownership of the DHEO data collected when various entities have supported and financially contributed to the implementation of the campaign. It is questionable to know does financial contribution link with the sharing of personal content from the data collected. This question leads to the second issue revolving around ethical issue needed to protect the DHOH individual's rights to confidentialities. In terms of data sharing with the various entities need not to violate the legal liability standing of participants' rights to privacy known as Health Insurance
“Cameras in Special Education Classrooms a Complex Issue” has stemmed a controversial debate across the nation. Terrence Rideau received unexplained injuries while attending a middle school in Texas. Terrence is now 21 years old and is diagnosed with severe cognitive and physical disabilities. Terrence’s mom felt the need to lobby for cameras in special
There are many ethical issues in the healthcare field. These issues range from insurance coverage, senior care, childhood immunizations, beneficence, abortion, medicinal marijuana, honesty and medical research (Fritzsche, D., 2004). Today we will discuss the ethical concerns in only one aspect of heath care and that topic is research (Benatar, S., 2000). Medical research is necessary in order to make strides in health care, introduce new medications, to discover new symptoms and disorders and to test new treatment options for current medical problems. Students of medicine, universities and pharmaceutical companies conduct this research primarily. Much of this research is time consuming and costly, therefore obtaining funding is not
When one researches about the medical ethics in human experimentation, it is difficult to disregard the harsh realities of it. As Leonard Nimoy stated in his role as Spock in the movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”. This is the cruel truth that be seen everywhere, but many people tend to ignore it since it is such a dreary thought. Many people, especially those in third world countries, are exploited every day. Large corporate companies come to typically poorer foreign nations, where there is a large gap between the rich and poor, to find cheaper workers. Many people in these foreigners tend to be desperate for money and immediately sign up for these jobs. Typical corporations would hire these people and make them work in inhumane working conditions such as long hours, less pay, and give no sanitation facilities. Although this happens on an everyday basis, there are very few people out there who challenge the large corporations. This example can also apply to medical ethics, sometimes a small amount of people have to suffer through experiments to help the general public. Although this is a morbid thought, it has been used in the past. During the mid-twentieth century, many American scientist believe that experimenting on a few people and making them suffer would create results that would be very beneficial to the general public. Today, most modern developed countries don’t believe in this ideology, but there are
Our country was founded on certain moral principles. The moral principles which guide our lives are referred to as ethics. These ethics have an impact on how we interact with the world around us and shape our personalities; this happens even if we do not realize their immediate impact. It is for this very reason that ethics in psychological research became necessary. “One may also define ethics as a method, procedure, or perspective for deciding how to act and for analyzing complex problems and issues” (Resnik, 2011). We are expected to behave or be treated a particular way in society, therefore we should be granted certain ethical treatments in regards to research.
The opposition might claim that medical experimentation on artificial alternatives is more unreliable compared to animal testing. However, an article by George Dvorsky gives many examples of modes of medical experimentation which provide accurate results. Tests using human cells in vitro, lab-grown human liver, artificial human skin, and computer simulations have provided results leagues more accurate than animal experimentation. Since reliable technological alternatives exist, animal testing should be
One of the latest scientific breakthroughs has been the success of cloning. Ever since the creation of “Dolly” the sheep at Roslin Institute, there has been increased debates on whether scientists should bump up a notch and try to clone a human. Biotechnology and science evolves day by day. New inventions and discoveries play an important part in order for a breakthrough in science. Scientists are eager to study and dig deeper into the mysteries of life, to them experimenting with cloning is a major step in fully understanding the human body and its limits. But to some, the ethics of cloning has become an important issue. Questions regarding human lives as experiments and the dangerous effects of a failed experiment confronts the issue. There are still many arguable questions regarding to cloning that needs to be answered before the legalization of cloning.
Mills utilitarian ethics would justify that you should not cheat on a test. Mills theory is based on social rules that decide what is “right” or “wrong.” Meaning that society decides what is wrong and right, by capital punishment, public approval or disapproval. Based off of this we can see how Mills theory supports not cheating on at test because if you were to get caught cheating there would be a lot of public disapproval and you could even receive a very harsh punishment for example; you could get a zero on that test, you could even get kicked out of that class, or even worse it would be possible to get kicked out of the school, if you were taking a test like the BAR for lawyers you could lose your shot at ever becoming a lawyer. A lot of
Technology decisions should not be made solely in some geeky corner of the campus. These days technology should be central to strategic planning and ought to involve top academic leaders. That was a clear theme of discussions at The Chronicle's Technology Forum, held here last week.
weaknesses. The content of this book is relevant to my project, as it examines ethics in
Every year, millions of animals suffer through painful and unnecessary tests. Animals in laboratories all over the world live lives of deprivation, pain, isolation, and torture. Even though vast studies show that animal experimentation often lacks validity, leading to harmful human reactions, we still continue to use this method of experimentation, while many other less-expensive and more beneficial alternatives exist. Going beyond the issue of animal experimentation being morally wrong, this form of research is also hindering medical progress. Although the use of animals in laboratories is said to be necessary for the welfare and health of humans, people mistakenly believe that this immoral and unscientific method of experimentation is