Health Care Rationing (PP15)

Read the article Why We Must Ration Health Care by Peter Singer. Does the author make a good case for rationing? Why or why not?

Due Friday, December 14, 2012

Animal Rights Extremism (PP14)

Read the articles and commentary below about animal rights extremists and the recent car firebombings. What rights, if any, do animals have? Why or why not? Is the type of violence discussed in these articles ever justified as a means to stop animal research?

Animal Research Activists Firebomb Car
Press Release from UCLA Newsroom

More on the UCLA Firebombing
From the LA Times

Commentary on Animal Rights Extremists
From Adventures in Ethics and Science Blog

Due Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Alternative Medicine (PP13)

Should publicly funded health programs pay for alternative services and treatments that have not been tested in controlled clinical settings? Why or why not?

Due Monday, December 10, 2012

DNA Interactive (PP12)

Read the article DNA has Come a Long Way from Genetic Engineering and Biotech News (11/2012) and checkout the DNA Interactive site. Then discuss future ramifications from a philosophical perspective.

Due November 30, 2012.

Organ Allocation Part Two (PP11)

Policies that guide the distribution or allocation of organs have always been controversial. Please read the articles below and discuss how organs should be allocated in the US and why? As you read, please consider how you selected the organ recipient in the previous blog post.

Ethics of Organ Transplants (About.com summary)
The Waiting Game (PBS)
Distributing Donor Organs (PBS)
United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)
About Organ Allocation (Transplant Living)
Organ Allocation Issues (Miracosta College)
Controversies in Organ Donation (Nephrology, Dialysis, Transplantation Journal)
Infant Heart Transplant Controversy (US News)
Human Organs for Sale (New Internationalist)
Do US Hospitals Push Organ Black Market (CBS News)
So What About Mickey Mantle (Wordpress Donate Life Blog)
Natalie Cole Kidney came From Deceased Fan (CNN)
Jobs Travel to Transplant Mecca Shows System Flaws (Bloomberg)
Britain to Outlaw Most Private Organ Donations (Yahoo! News)

Due November 16, 2012

Organ Allocation Part One (PP10)

Read the case of the transplant decision and decide on your own who should get the only heart available. Discuss with the class who you chose and why.

Due November 16, 2012

ASU Tribal Research (PP9)

Beginning in 1990, Arizona State University began a study using DNA from the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona. Read the articles at the links below. Discuss the importance of informed consent in human subjects research.

Indian tribe wins fight to limit research of its DNA
From the New York Times (04/22/2010)

Havasupai case highlights risks of DNA research
From the New York Times (04/23/2010)

Informed consent and the ethics of DNA research
From the New York Times (04/23/2010)

Due October 26, 2012