Bio Ethics Timeline and Controversies

Stem Cells & Cloning 3/23/05

Bio EthicsTimeline and

Controversies

Stem Cells & Cloning 3/23/05

What is Bio-Ethics?

• The study of the ethical and moral implications of new biological discoveries and biomedical advances, as in the fields of genetic engineering and drug research

• Examples?

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Why Bioethics?

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Current Bioethical Issues

Check the local news paper Stem cells (state, national, international) Genetically Engineered Organisms Knowing your genes In vetro fertilization – choosing your child's

genes and characteristics Chemicals exposures – human health Environmental health

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“The Commons”

The Tragedy of the CommonsBy Garrett Hardin, Science, 1968

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"Biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a

science that sets a system of medical and environmental

priorities for acceptable survival.“Global Bioethics (1988)

Bioethics

-------- 1911 - 2001 --------

Van Rensselaer Potter

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1860’s - Scientific method in medicine, Gregor Mendel1928 - Penicillin discovered – widely used WWII1920’s - Lead in gasoline, lead in paint1931 - 30 states had sterilization laws on books1932 - Tuskegee syphilis study initiated 1947 - Nuremberg - The Doctors Trial1952 - First open heart surgery & Chlorpromazine1953 - Structure of DNA – Watson & Crick60’s - Thalidomide, mercury, chronic hemodialysis,

amniocentesis, informed consent, IRB’s70’s - Hastings Center founded, bioethics defined,

Tuskegee noticed

Ethics and Science

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1973 – Roe V. Wade Unrestricted access to abortion1978- First Test Tube ever born80’s - Recombinant microorganism could be patented,

lead is harmful to developing brain90’s - molecular biology, sequencing of human

genome (other species), Jurassic Park1996- Dolly the sheep is the first Mammal ever cloned00’s - US stem cell research restricted2003- Human Genome project complete? - Human cloned?

Ethics and Science

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Human Clones?

Are there human clones?Yes – Identical Twins

(Time 2.19.01)

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Cloning Defined

• What is cloning?• Asexual reproduction

• Examples?• Bacteria, fungus• Plants – cutting – potato• Farm animals

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Cloning Dolly

1997 - 2003(Roslin Institute http://www.roslin.ac.uk/library/)

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Cloning A Sheep

(Roslin Institute http://www.roslin.ac.uk/library/)

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IVF – In Vitro Fertilization Baby conceived in a test tube and

implanted in a Uterus Available since 1986 About 100,000 IVF kids in U.S. Often creates extra embryos some

would like to use for Stem Cell research.

U.S. - About 400,000 frozen embryos (unregulated)

England – 52,000 (regulated by government)

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Controversies:

Should a mother be legally liable for drinking or doing drugs while pregnant? This of course would cause harm to their unborn child.

Opinion?

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Controversies:

• Should you be allowed to genetically modify your children before they are born to prevent disease?

• What about to change eye color, make them taller, stronger, smarter, better behaved?

• Opinion:

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Controversies:

• Should college students be forced to get the meningitis vaccine?

• Opinion

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Controversies:

• Should food and chemical corporations genetically modify food to yield more product, make food more nutritious, or make food taste better? Would you eat this food?

• Opinion

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Controversies:

• Should people be allowed to sell their extra kidney or a portion of their liver to a person in need of a transplant? This is currently illegal

• Opinion