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Unit 2 AOS 3 Notes: Bioethical Issues (HeLa Case)

What’s in this lesson?

  • Identify a bioethical issue
  • Analyse the issue
  • Communicate your findings
  • Evaluate the issue

Step 1: Find an interesting example of a bioethical issue

  • The fun part of this Area of Study is that you have the opportunity to go deep on something that you find really interesting.
  • Start by finding an article online or in a newspaper or YouTube video about the use of genetics or reproductive technology in society.
  • Identify a bioethical issue.
  • Edrolo ethics (n.) A type of knowledge that helps individuals exercise moral judgement and determine what is right and wrong.
  • Issue (n.) A dilemma in which a decision must be made between two or more options with social, economic, legal, or political repercussions.

Step 2: Identify the issue

  • An issue will be something that has social, legal, political, financial, moral or ethical implications.
  • Identify a bioethical issue.

Step 3: Define the issue

  • Now that you have identified an issue, you need to define the issue. The easiest way to do this is to write a research question.
  • In relation to the HeLa cells issue, example research question: Should Henrietta Lacks’ estate be entitled to compensation by Thermo Fisher, for use of her cells?
  • analyse (v.) Analyse the issue: Examine methodically and in detail in order to explain and interpret it.
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1A Part 1: Questions, variables, and hypotheses.

Step 4: Explain the issue

  • Explain the biological concepts that are related to the issue.
  • In relation to the HeLa cells issue, explain what scientists have used the HeLa cells for, and the circumstances around and process by which the HeLa cells were obtained in the first place.
  • Research: Don’t just get your information from the article you are reading. You will probably need to do some additional research to find the information you are looking for.
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1A Part 1: Questions, variables, and hypotheses.

Step 5: Weigh different perspectives

  • Who are the involved parties and what are their motives?
  • In relation to the HeLa cells issue, you might consider the positions and motives of:
    • Henrietta Lacks’ family
    • Thermo Fisher
    • biotech researchers
    • the lawyers involved in the case
    • the general public
  • Classify the interests of each party. Do the interests fall into one of the following categories?
    • Social
    • Economic
    • Legal
    • Political
    • Moral
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1A Part 1: Questions, variables, and hypotheses.

Step 6: Consider ethical approaches and concepts

  • Now that you have explored the interests of different groups in society, choose a position. That is, weigh the evidence and explain where you stand on the issue.
  • In relation to the HeLa cells issue: Do you agree that ThermoFisher should have to pay compensation to the Lacks family for the sale of Henrietta Lacks’ (HeLa) cells? Why or why not?
  • Evaluate (v.) Evaluate the issue: Form an idea of, or judgement of the value of something.
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1B: Ethics in biology.

Step 7: Consider how the issue could be addressed using different ethical concepts

  • Step 7: Consider how the issue could be addressed using different ethical concepts:
    • Integrity
    • Justice
    • Beneficence
    • Non-maleficence
    • Respect
  • Evaluate the issue in relation to the HeLa cells issue. Consider the issue from the perspective of each of the five ethical concepts separately.
  • Is the sale of HeLa cells by Thermo Fisher without compensation to the Lacks family: just? beneficent? non-maleficent? respectful?
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1B: Ethics in biology.

Step 8: Produce a report

  • You might choose to report on your investigation using a scientific poster as you may have for Unit 1, Area of Study 3, but this time it may be more appropriate to produce a video or audio report or simply a written report.
  • Don’t forget to use appropriate conventions for scientific communication, including acknowledging sources of your information properly.
  • Recap: Key Science Skills 1A Part 7: Communicating scientifically.
  • Free scientific poster templates – Webpage
  • Images by various licenses.

What have we covered in this lesson?

  • Identifying an issue
  • Analysing the issue
  • Evaluating the issue
  • Communicating your findings
  • How do these ideas link together? This is the conclusion of Area of Study 3, and the end of Unit 2. What’s coming next? Unit 3! Bringing it all together

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