Field: Bioethics
Instructor: Desiree Abu-Odeh
What
is informed consent to receive health care? How does it differ from
informed consent to participate in human subjects research? Can someone
who does not have the mental capacity to consent participate in
research? What obligations do health care providers have to their
patients? What about when one’s ethical beliefs or self-interests
conflict with providing care? What responsibilities do nations and
states have for the health of their people? And what are our
responsibilities as individuals to one another’s well-being? The field
of bioethics has provided scholars with an intellectual space to pose
and respond to such questions about free will and choice, professional
duties, state responsibility, and more since the mid-twentieth century,
when cases of gross violations of professional duties and trust made it
clear that researchers and health professionals needed ethics guidance.
This
introduction to bioethics course aims to introduce students to the
field of bioethics. Students will learn bioethical concepts and
frameworks that they will apply to analyze ethical dilemmas in health
care, human subjects research, and public health. Students will also
learn the history of bioethics, exploring the roles of social difference
(on the basis of race, religion, ability, etc.) and social movements in
the emergence and application of theories of bioethics. These ideas
will be examined through readings, personal reflections, in-class
discussions, presentations, and formal writing. Beyond the content, the
class will focus on the development of logical arguments, writing
skills, oral presentation skills, and teamwork.