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Bio Ethics
Timeline and
Controversies
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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 Commons
By 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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1860s - Scientific method in medicine, Gregor Mendel
1928 - Penicillin discovered widely used WWII
1920s - Lead in gasoline, lead in paint
1931 - 30 states had sterilization laws on books
1932 - Tuskegee syphilis study initiated
1947 - Nuremberg - The Doctors Trial
1952 - First open heart surgery & Chlorpromazine
1953 - Structure of DNA Watson & Crick
60s - Thalidomide, mercury, chronic hemodialysis,
amniocentesis, informed consent, IRBs
70s - Hastings Center founded, bioethics defined,
Tuskegee noticed
Ethics and Science
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1973 Roe V. Wade Unrestricted access to abortion
1978- First Test Tube ever born
80s - Recombinant microorganism could be patented,
lead is harmful to developing brain
90s - molecular biology, sequencing of human
genome (other species), Jurassic Park
1996- Dolly the sheep is the first Mammal ever cloned
00s - US stem cell research restricted
2003- 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