Moral Response to New Technologies

1. Moral Response to New Technologies HAS 4400 Session 9 Dr. Burton

2. Bloodletting? Assimilation? Vivisection? The view of many scientists(blind to consequences) • Principle of Plenitude: “possibility implies normative assent” • Since the mission (What can be known should be known) dangles before their eyes, they often believe that whatever it takes to get there (the means) is justified by the lofty goal (the ends).

3. Genetic Science • Genetic Screening • Living people • Preimplantation/prebirth • Genetic Counseling • Genetic Therapy • “Eugenic mentality”

4. Ethical Concerns • Pragmatism • “…a cautious trial-and-error approach is in order.” • Authoritarianism • “the analysis of an individual or group in authority represents a sound and reliable appraisal of an ethical issue.” • Utilitarianism • “…actions..and policies which are proposed bring about the greatest good for the greatest number.” • Natural Law • Can “sane, mature individuals discover a reasoning process within themselves which is an accurate tool for” decision-making?

6. Fetal Tissue Research • Opinions • Pro: sufficient success has been achieved to warrant more research and use. • Con: Studies are insufficient, harmful side effects, insufficient data, RX alternatives, Restricted diet alternative. • Ethical arguments • Pro: As long as certain safeguards are in place research can only benefit. • Con: Use of tissue from elective abortions constitutes an attack on the dignity of human life.

7. Explosive News! Baby Body Parts For Sale In September of 1999, a pro-life group in Denton Texas, Life Dynamics, uncovered documented evidence of baby body parts trafficking. The front page news of the September 10th issue of the West Frankfort, IL based 'The Daily American' was the lead story; "Pro-Lifers: Baby body parts sold out of West Frankfort." In it, the story reveals that after a two year under-cover investigation, documentary evidence had been obtained that a company in West Frankfort called 'Opening Lines' was procuring and selling fresh baby parts to fetal tissue researchers around the country. The investigative report quoted a price list a copy of which has been obtained by Stop F.T.R. In the price list, various 'parts' can be had for the asking. Also, one could buy a whole specimen (i.e.; aborted baby) in 'un-processed' condition for $70. The partial list below includes; Livers $125-$150 Spleens $50-$75 Pancreas $75-$100 Thymus $75-$100 Kidney $100-$125 Limbs $150 Brain $150-$999 Spinal Column $150 Spinal Chord $325 For more information on this explosive news, visit Life Dynamics International. They are offering a 64 page booklet documenting their report for a nominal fee of $5.00

8. “The principal argument in favor of a full speed ahead approach is that abortion and HFTRT are separate and distinct issues. You can hate the one yet embrace the other. Even if you grant that elective abortion is an essentially evil act, it is argued that salvaging and using the fetal remains for good purposes does not connote complicity with the abortion itself.” Sharon Fish RN, 1990

9. Ends Contradicted by Means It is clear enough: the ends are contradicted by the means. Taking innocent human lives in order to save other human lives undermines a basic principle of the moral code that sustains our society and the legal code that regulates our common life.... To refer to fetal tissue as if it were mere tissue disembedded from its human provenance, or to speak of finding it in a trash can as if magically transported from we know not where, evades the morally obvious. Of course, fetal tissue is human tissue—not even Roe v. Wade denies that. This tissue was once part of a developing life that has been destroyed and dispatched. Harvesting that tissue in order to save or sustain another, wanted human life cannot redeem the taking of life in the first place drawing good out of evil). For that reason after World War II the scientific community chose to forego whatever knowledge might derive from Nazi medical experiments. Commonwealth, June 19, 1992.

10. Merck's new chicken pox vaccine. • Once the chicken pox virus is grown in guinea pig cells, "it no longer grows fast in humans. So it's safe back in humans.“ • Next, the now-weakened virus is grown in the WI-38 and MRC-5 cell lines • The end product is chicken pox vaccine. • A cell line, according to Dr. Chris Kahlenborn, a Pittsburgh physician, "is a group of cells taken from an animal or human being and put on a petri dish. You usually have to add mitogens - chemicals that stimulate their division."

11. Artificially Provided Nutrition and Hydration • Medical treatment or Comfort care? • Malnutrition and Dehydration contribute to but do not cause death. • Advanced directives and Durable powers of attorney. • We live in a society that predominately denies death.

12. Four High Profile Cases • Paul Brophy • Claire Conroy • Mary O’Conner • Nancy Cruzan • PVS w/ NG tube • Physicians refuse to comply with family request for cessation of gastronomy feeding.

13. Maxims for ethically sounds choices: • People Should take reasonable care of their health, and medical treatments should be employed to enable ill to recover from their infirmities. • Since life is good, we should not end life by overt means. • Illness should be managed with a view to a person’s overall good.

14. Case StudyPage 124Flynn Text

15. Discussion Question Four There has been a dramatic shift towards use of information systems technology in the management and transfer of medical information in the past few years. Computer technology provides greater speed in processing information and communication between health professionals. The down-side is that it also increases access to information by more individuals and raises the risk of disclosure to unauthorized individuals. Are we headed for a "Big Brother" world? Can we reasonably protect the Constitutional right to privacy? How?