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PHL 2010-01: Bio-Medical Ethics
MWF 9:15-10:15AM
DHAY Room 222
Spring 2011
Instructor: Dr. Amy MacArthur
Office Location: David Hayworth Hall Room 218
Office Phone: (336) 841-9072
Office Hours: T/Th 1:00-3:00PM and by appointment
Email: amacarth@highpoint.edu
Required Text:
 Case Studies in Biomedical Ethics (abbreviated CSBE) by Robert M. Veatch, Amy M. Haddad, and
Dan C. English (Oxford University Press, 2010)
 Additional readings to be made available on Blackboard (due as indicated on the Course
Schedule below)
Course Description:
This course is a critical examination of the most important ethical issues in the biomedical field today.
We will study the primary ethical theories and moral principles according to which ethical issues in this
area have traditionally been discussed, and apply them to a range of issues including abortion,
euthanasia, gene therapy and stem cell research, the allocation of health resources, patient’s rights, the
purpose of the medical profession, organ transplantation, and human and animal experimentation. We
will develop our awareness of varying moral perspectives and our capacity for moral discussion and
decision-making in our professional and personal lives.
Accommodations:
Students with diagnosed disabilities should contact Mrs. Irene Ingersoll, Director of Academic Services
Center, at 841-9037. Accommodation arrangements should be made at the beginning of the course.
Accommodations are not retroactive.
Attendance Policy:
This course meets three times a week for sixteen weeks. Roll will be taken at the beginning of class
every day. If you come in late, it is your responsibility to let me know so that I can mark you as present;
otherwise, it will count as an absence. Should you miss four classes, you will be put on class probation.
A total of five absences may result in involuntary withdrawal from the class.
Cell Phone and Laptop Policy:
Cell phone use of any kind is not permitted during class, so please turn your cell phones off. After one
warning, students who use their cell phones during class will be marked absent for that class period. Laptop
use is permitted for the purpose of taking notes only. After one warning, students who use their laptops for
any purpose not related to the class will be marked absent for that class period.
Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism:
In the interest of academic integrity, any student found cheating on any test or assignment will receive a
failing grade for the course. Cheating includes (but is not limited to) using unauthorized notes on a test,
copying a classmate’s test or paper (from this or previous terms), plagiarizing, and discussing test material
with any student who has not yet taken the test. You are responsible for knowing what constitutes
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plagiarism; if you have any questions, please consult me or a librarian in Reference Services. In addition, in
keeping with the University Honor Code, if you cheat you will be referred to the University Honor Court for
possible additional disciplinary action.
Grading:
Tests (3):
Case Study Reviews (6):
Term Paper (4-5 pages):
Group Presentation:
Frontline Episode Reviews (2):
48% (16% each)
18% (3% each)
15%
10%
9% (4.5% each)
Grades will be based on the above tests and assignments. The final letter grade will be based on the
weighted average score of the various grade components and the range in which this weighted average
score falls, where:
A =92.5-100
A- =90-92.4
B+=87.5-89.9
B =82.5-87.4
B-=80.0-82.4
C+=77.5-79.9
C =72.5-77.4
C- =70.0-72.4
D+=67.5-69.9
D =62.5-67.4
D- =60.0-62.4
F = 59.9 or below
Grading Criteria:
To receive full credit, an assignment must meet the following conditions:
 Full completion
 On time
 Demonstration of thoughtfulness, effort
 Ample detail
 Proper grammar and spelling
Policy on Late Work and Missed Exams:
You are responsible for knowing the dates of the tests and the dates the assignments are due, as
indicated on the Course Schedule below. I will not always announce an upcoming due date, so be sure to
check the Syllabus often.
Late term papers will lose 5 percentage points for each day they are late.
Late Case Study Reviews and late Frontline Episode Reviews will lose 10 percentage points for each day
they are late. They are considered late if they are not handed in at the beginning of the class period in
which they are due. They will not be accepted after they are 3 days late.
Missed exams may not be retaken except in the case of emergency, for which you must provide full
documentation.
**VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: You must submit a HARD COPY of all of your assignments
on the day they are due to receive full credit. ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
VIA EMAIL. Excuses such as malfunctioning printers or your being out of town (except
in the case of an emergency) are not acceptable. If you try to send me an email
containing your assignment, I will disregard it and your assignment will lose points
until it is turned in. It is your responsibility to hand me a hard copy of your
assignment at the beginning of class on the day it is due.
To repeat: ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL.**
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Using Quotations in Case Studies and Episode Reviews:
Often you will need to reference readings from the text and other sources in order to complete your
assignments. For the Case Studies and Episode Reviews, we will use parenthetical documentation. Each
time you use a quotation, include the source and the page number (you can abbreviate the source if
using the class text). Put this information in parentheses directly following a quotation. For example:
“Classical utilitarianism demands noninterference with the autonomy of others in society only
when this produces greater net benefits” (CSBE 12).
When you are using multiple quotations from the same source, or whenever the source is obvious, you
may just include the page number in parentheses without repeating the book title.
4th Credit Hour:
The curriculum at High Point University has changed this year from a 3 credit (per class) system to a 4
credit system. This means that all courses that previously counted for 3 credits but now count for 4
credits must account for the additional credit that is received for those courses. Because this class
meets three days a week for 60 minutes, there is an extra 20 minutes a week (for a total of 320 minutes
over the course of the semester) that you must spend on this class. Our fourth credit will be fulfilled by
the Frontline Episode Viewings and Reviews (see details below).
Detailed Description of Course Assignments
Tests:
There will be three tests in this class, each worth 16% of the final grade. The last test will be given on
the scheduled final exam date but will not be a cumulative exam. The format of the tests will be a
combination of multiple choice, and short answer, and short essay.
Case Study Reviews:
Each week as part of your assigned reading you will have to read a number of Case Studies on particular
issues in Bio-Medical Ethics. These provide a good opportunity to put the ethical theories and principles
we’ve learned into practice. You must complete a total of 6 Case Study Reviews relating to these Case
Studies throughout the semester. To do this, you will print out and complete a Case Study Review
Template and submit it by the due date as indicated on the Course Schedule below. A copy of the Case
Study Review Template is available on BlackBoard.
Possible grades for the Case Study Reviews are 95, 85, 75, 65, and 50 (a grade of 100 is possible in
exceptional cases).
Late Case Study Reviews will lose 10 points for each day they are late, and will not be accepted after
they are 3 days late.
Term Paper:
The term paper will be 4-to-5 pages (topic TBA), and will be due near the end of the semester. More
details regarding the requirements of the paper and the citation format will be provided when the topic
is handed out.
Group Presentation:
Each student will participate in a small group presentation (of no more than 4 per group). You and two
or three partners will summarize and lead discussion on one of the Case Studies in Chapter 14 on Organ
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Transplantation. There are 9 Case Studies in the chapter, from which you will choose one on a firstcome, first-served basis. Your presentation should take 15 to 20 minutes.
Your presentation will be evaluated based on how well you do the following:
 Summarize the Case Study
 Articulate the main ethical issues in the Case Study
 Evaluate the ethical issues in the Case Study according to at least three of the ethical theories or
moral principles learned in the class
 Link the Case Study to other course materials, readings, and/or films
 Connect the article to current/contemporary examples and issues
 Make your own recommendation about how to resolve the issues
 Stimulate class discussion
You may use Powerpoint, overheads, or handouts for your presentation and you may show short video
clips (< 4 minutes long) as part of your presentation. You must submit a hard copy summary of your
presentation to me on the day of your presentation prior to presenting.
Possible grades for the Group Presentation are 95, 85, 75, 65, and 50.
The available dates for presenting are:
Friday, April 15 (2 presentations max)
Monday, April 18 (2 to 3 presentations)
Wednesday, April 20 (2 to 3 presentations)
Friday, April 22 (2 to 3 presentations)
Frontline Episode Reviews:
Sometime during the semester you must watch two Frontline episodes (from the selection below) and
do a Case Study Review for each episode. The first is due by the start of fall break and the second is
due by the date of the final test. Here are the episodes from which you may choose:
“The Medicated Child”
“The Alternative Fix”
“Diet Wars”
“Medicating Kids”
“The Age of AIDs”
“Sick Around the World”
“The New Asylums”
Note: Your Frontline Episode Review may not be on any of the Frontline episodes we watch in class; it
must be on one of the above.
These episodes are all available at the following website:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/?utm_campaign=homepage&utm_medium=bigvideo&
utm_source=bigvideo
(This link is also posted on Blackboard).
In each of your Frontline Episode Reviews you should do the following:
1. Provide a summary of the ethical issues raised in the episode; you should also make it clear that
you have actually watched the episode;
2. Connect the ethical issues in the episode to at least two of the ethical theories or moral
principles we have discussed;
3. Give your own view of the best way to resolve the ethical issues raised in the episode. Be
specific!
Possible grades for the Frontline Episode Reviews are 95, 85, 75, 65, and 50.
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Late Reviews will lose 10 points for each day they are late and will not be accepted after they are more
than 3 days late.
Course Schedule
(Readings are due on the date they are indicated below. Schedule subject to change.)
W January 12: Introduction to Course and Syllabus Review
F Janurary 14: Introduction to Ethics
 Reading: CSBE pp. 3-19
M January 17: MLK DAY (NO CLASSES)
W January 19: Introduction to Ethics continued (same reading as above)
F January 21: The Source of Moral Judgments
 Reading: CSBE pp. 49-68; Appendix pp. 419-430
M January 24: Ethical Theory: Utilitarianism
 Blackboard Reading: “Utilitarianism”
 24 episode clip: Ryan Chappelle’s death (Season 3, Episode 18)
W January 26: Utilitarianism continued (same reading as above)
F January 28: Ethical Theory: Kantianism
 Blackboard Reading: “Kantianism”
 24 episode clip: Interrogation of Syed Ali (Season 2, Episode 12)
M January 31: Kantianism continued (same reading as above)
W February 2: Consequentialist Ethical Principles: Beneficence and Non-Maleficence
 Reading: CSBE pp. 71-96
F February 4: Deontological Ethical Principles: Justice
 Reading: CSBE pp. 97-112
o Case Study Review #1 Due
M February 7: Deontological Ethical Principles: Autonomy
 Reading: CSBE pp. 113-131
W February 9: Catch-up Day (no new reading)
F February 11: Deontological Ethical Principles: Veracity
 Reading: CSBE pp. 132-153
M February 14: Deontological Ethical Principles: Fidelity
 Reading: CSBE pp. 154-171
o Case Study Review #2 Due
W February 16: Deontological Ethical Principles: Avoidance of Killing
 Reading: CSBE pp. 172-203
F February 18: Review
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M February 21: TEST #1
W February 23: Applied Issues in Medical Ethics: Abortion
 Reading: CSBE pp. 207-222
F February 25: CLASS CANCELLED
M February 28: Abortion (continued, no new reading)
W March 2 (midterm): Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Sterilization and Contraception
 Reading: CSBE pp. 222-227
 Blackboard Reading: Physician and Pharmacist Conscience Clauses
o Case Study Review #3 Due
F March 4: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Genetics
 Blackboard Reading: “Embryonic Stem Cell Research”
o Frontline Episode Review #1 Due
March 5-13: SPRING BREAK (NO CLASSES)
M March 14: Genetics (continued)
 Reading: CSBE pp. 229-249
W March 16: Catch-up Day
F March 18: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Justice in Health Care
 Reading: CSBE pp. 323-339
o Case Study Review #4 Due
M March 21: Justice in Health Care (continued, no new reading)
W March 23: Justice in Health Care (continued)
 Blackboard Reading: 2010 Health Care Bill Provisions
 Video (in class): Frontline: “Sick Around America”
F March 25: Catch-up and Review
M March 28: TEST #2
W March 30: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Pharmaceutical Drugs
 Blackboard Reading: “The Pharmaceutical Drug Industry”
o Paper Topic Handed Out
F April 1: Pharmaceutical Drugs (continued, no new reading)
 Video (in class, YouTube: “Big Pharma, Big Bucks”)
o Case Study Review #5 Due
M April 4: Pharmaceutical Drugs (continued)
 Blackboard Reading TBA
W April 6: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Experimentation on Human Subjects
 Reading: CSBE pp. 340-354
F April 8: Experimentation on Human Subjects (continued)
 Reading: CSBE pp. 354-365
o Case Study Review #6 Due
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M April 11: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Animal Rights and Animal Experimentation
 Blackboard Reading: Experimentation on Animals
W April 13: HONORS DAY (NO CLASSES)
F April 15: Applied Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics: Organ Transplantation
 Begin Group Presentations on Organ Transplantation (2)
M April 18: Group Presentations on Organ Transplantation (2-3)
W April 20: Group Presentations on Organ Transplantation (2-3)
F April 22: Group Presentations on Organ Transplantation (2-3)
M April 25: EASTER MONDAY (NO CLASSES)
W April 27: Review
o Term Paper Due
FINAL EXAM (Test #3) on Saturday, April 30, 8:30-11:30AM
o Frontline Episode Review #2 due