Organ Transplants (PP11)

Should children be used as organ donors? Current Japanese policy prohibitions are currently being considered for revision. Read the articles below as background information and then state (and defend) your position.

Japan May End Ban from Yahoo! News
Pediatric Group May Accept Child Organ Donations from Japan Times Online
Organ Transplant Law Falls Short (pdf) from Daily Yomiuri Online
Proposal for Organ Transplant Law Revision from International Network for Life Studies

Health Care - Right or Privilege (PP10)

Is health care a right of all Americans? Why or why not? Should coverage be universal? How should coverage be paid? What universal principles should be applied in determining costs and coverages? Defend your position.

Preventing the Spread of HIV/AIDS (PP9)

Should religious leaders, such as the pope be weighing in on condom use to prevent the spread of disease? Why or why not? Do religious leaders have an obligation to understand the science and provide medically accurate information? Or are they only obligated to uphold religious dogma? Why or why not?

Background information is available at the links below:

BBC News
CBS News
RTE News
All Africa
AFP Google
Health Know It All Blog
Reuters UK
US News and World Report
Kaiser

Reproductive vs Religious Rights (PP8)

The federal government, as well as many states, have enacted "conscience" laws to protect medical professionals from being required to perform medical procedures to which they are morally opposed. In some cases, there is a direct conflict between the health of women and the religious freedom of the healthcare provider. In such instances, what criteria should be used to evaluate the rights and responsibilities of both parties, when should each prevail and why?

Background information can be found at the links below:
EurekAlert
Az Republic - Obama to potentially overturn federal ruling
Az Republic - State conscience law
Conscience Laws Org

Animal Rights Extremism (PP7)

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

Abortion in Children (PP6)

A nine year old Brazilian girl, raped by her stepfather and pregnant with twins, recently obtained an abortion. The physicians who performed the procedure have insisted that, in their medical judgment, this was necessary to save the child's future health and life. The Catholic Church has objected to the medical procedure and are moving toward excommunication of all involved in its procurement and performance. Read about the case (links below) and answer the following questions:

What are the underlying ethical concerns in this case?
If there are competing interests, whose should prevail and why?

Links:
Article from MSNBC
Commentary from Pharyngula Blog

Feel free to use other sources of information or commentary about the case as well.

Ethics and Religion (PP5)

Is religious belief NECESSARY for ethical decisions and/or behavior? Are Atheists as ethical as/more ethical/less ethical than Christians? Why or why not?