Ethics in Biology and Chemistry
Shaun Taylor
6/11/14
Scientific Ethics
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Responsible conduct of research (RCR) required by NSF, institutions
decides what this means for themselves
Research integrity, honesty, non plagiarism, conflict of interest
Norms of establishing first authors, attribution,
Management of Intellectual property, ownership of lab notebooks, data,
documenting discovery, patents and publishing, export control
Confidentiality, disclosure, reviewer ethics
Data sharing – collegiality
Academic ethics- teaching,
Basic training- Ethics Core CMDITR RCR modules
https://nationalethicscenter.org/login
Situational ethics- What would you do?- Role playing, video simulations
Macroethics
Large-scale, societal, environmental, planetary issues
 Values and norms emerge through discipline or by
government
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◦ Green chemistry movement- anticipate environmental impact
of production methods
◦ Cost versus safety in engineering
◦ Release of genetic modified, transgenic organisms
◦ Stem cells
◦ Social justice and environment
Unique to Biology
Humane treatment of animals
 Human subjects
◦privacy and security
◦benefit
◦inclusion of underrepresented groups,
◦Informed consent- protection of minors
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
 Medical Ethics
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◦Access to, and rationing services
◦Best clinical practice (BCP)
Information Privacy and Security, HIPAA
 Biosafety and Biosecurity
 Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative CITI
https://www.citiprogram.org/
 The Hastings Center
http://www.thehastingscenter.org/
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The power of role plays / scenarios
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Whistleblowing
https://sites.google.com/a/uw.edu/rcr-video/test/introduction-1
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NIH supplements
http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih1/Genetic/activities/act
ivity5.htm
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American Chemical Society ACS
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/about/governance/committees/ethics
/ethics-case-studies.html
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National Society of Professional Engineers- NCPE- Ethical Review
Cases
http://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/ethics-resources/board-of-ethicalreview-cases