Case Studies
Scenario: You are all members of a Senate council on Bioethics. Recently, you have been approached by a group of scientists from the medical community searching for treatments for neurological diseases and conditions. They have used up their resources and are now requesting funding for stem cell research, ideally embryonic. These scientists have already done research with adult stem cells. Although their research has led to a few advances in treatment, they feel that restricting their studies to this one particular type has limited their progress.
Your Task: Your job is to consider their request for funding and give conclusive reasoning to back up your decision based on the groups you are members of. During your discussions, consider the following questions:
· What ethical issues play into your decision?
· What other ethical issues (if any) do you choose to overlook when reaching your decision?
· To what extent should the government get involved?
· What are the pros and cons to your decision?
(Address these questions in your discussion but don’t limit your discussion to these questions)
Group 1: You are against all forms of stem cell research and feel that science is going too far. You are arguing that you should not fund any type of stem cell research.
Group 2: You feel that, with time, adult stem cell research can yield the same results as embryonic stem cell research, making the latter unnecessary. You are arguing that the senate should provide further funding, but only for adult stem cell research.
Group 3: You feel that embryonic stem cell research is more beneficial than adult stem cell research. You are arguing that you should approve their request and provide funding for both embryonic and adult stem cell research.
Additional Case Study
To view a case study in regards to President Bush's current policy on stem cell research click the link below:
*This site was created for a Monmouth College honors course*