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| The Case: |
Blood Money |
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Dr. Samuel Shreveport, a funding officer for a private organization, has just been diagnosed with a rare blood disease called thalassemia. He has told no one at work about his illness, which is life-threatening. Dr. Shreveport has just celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with his wife Sharon, and they have three children, ages 12, 16, and 21. The youngest child is also affected by thalassemia.
Dr. Shreveport has just been promoted to chair of the grant committee for the funding organization. This position requires him to be unbiased, and he has the final decision about which proposals receive funding in the event of a tie.
Study section, the time when all grants are reviewed, is scheduled for next week. Dr. Shreveport realizes that one of the grant proposals in the application pool proposes Stage III clinical trials on human subjects for thalassemia and utilizes holistic medicine.
At the end of the session, money remains to fund only one grant proposal. The two in question are the experimental study or a grant proposing new techniques for identifying bacteria that can be used as biological terrorist agents. There are an even number of votes for each, and Dr. Shreveport must decide which of the two projects will receive funding.
The final decision must be announced tomorrow. At home this evening, Dr. Shreveport has been having a conversation with his wife about the projects. She gets excited when he tells her about the clinical trials proposal. Once he sees her excitement, he realizes he may have made a mistake in talking to her about it. Now he is faced with a dilemma.
Should Dr. Shreveport fund the project that may cure the rare blood disease or the project which could protect against bioweapons?
Normal red blood cell
Red blood cell of a person affected by thalassemia
Bacillus anthracis
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Case Analysis
Conflict of interest
Confidentiality
Autonomy
Responsible research practices
Ethical decisions based on circumstance
Thalassemia
Biological agents used as bioweapons
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Option: Include a know / need to know chart like the one below:
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What do you know?
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What do you need to know?
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Learning Goals
Goal(s)
The students should gain an understanding of appropriate research conduct.
Students should demonstrate the process required to craft an ethical argument.
The students will also acquire the skills necessary to effectively present and communicate ideas.
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Standards
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Investigations and Activities
Individual investigations
Complete a worksheet on Biomedical Research Ethics where students choose whether research practices are ethical and write an explanation for those that are not (see special data items).
Write a one to two page commentary expressing which proposal Dr. Shreveport should fund. Use ethical theories, principles, and methods to support your view.
Write an information sheet on the responsible research practices used in the investigation of one of the two topics presented in the case (thalassemia or bioweapons).
Group investigations
Full class discussion addressing the ethics of the case, including conflict of interest and confidentiality.
Four person groups will be assigned one of the two proposals. Students will do independent research to find reasons why their proposal should be funded and reasons the other proposal should not be funded. Each group will present the advantages and disadvantages in front of the class and turn in one written summary per group. Dr. Shreveport (class instructors) will make the final decision about which proposal to fund based on the persuasiveness of the presentations.
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Resources
Beginning Bioethics: A text with integrated readings. Aaron Ridley. St. Martin's Press, Inc. 1988.
Cases in Bioethics: Selections from the Hastings Center Report, 3rd edition.Bette-Jane Crigger. St. Martin's Press, Inc. 1998.
On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/obas/
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1229.asp
http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/menu_thal.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bioterror/global.html#
http://www.textbookofbacteriology.net/Anthrax.html
Students will usually obtain additional references or resources
to help answer or explore their questions. |
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Special Data Items
1. Biomedical Research Ethics worksheet.doc
2. Anthracis.jpg
3. Thalassemia.gif
4. Normal.gif
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Student Products
Completed worksheet on Biomedical Research Ethics
One to two page commentary on which proposal Dr. Shreveport should fund
Summary of advantages and disadvantages from group presentation
An information sheet on responsible research conduct practices that are used to investigate one of the two topics in the case (thalassemia or bioweapons)
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Assessment and Evaluation Plan
Group discussion, worksheet, and information sheet will assess knowledge of ethical research practices.
Commentary on which project to fund will address how to construct an ethical argument.
Group presentations will allow students to practice effective presentation and communication skills.
The information sheet will also allow students to learn detailed information about research practices applicable to health sciences.
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Implementation
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Course name:
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Bioethics
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Likely sequence in
syllabus:
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Responsible research conduct/ biomedical ethics
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Time during term:
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Third major topic after introduction and death / dying
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Duration:
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2 days in class plus homework assignment over weekend
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Setting:
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Classroom
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Students in course:
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25 - 30 juniors and seniors interested in the health professions
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Collaborative elements:
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Additional notes:
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Credits
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