Since the dawn of humanity, man has been hunted by one thing. An invisible enemy, completely alien to our race, has stalked us. It came silently on the backs of animals or hulls of ships and wiped out entire civilizations.What is it that has claimed so many lives? Disease. In the course of medical study, innovation has always been a savior. In our darkest hour, when disease pushed the populace to the edge, innovations in medical science have saved us. Innoculations, vaccines, germ theory, painkillers, antibiotics, Stem Cells, CRISPR...all of these have picked up the slack and carried medicine forward. Today the research community stands on the edge of a knife, balancing ethical dilemmas with government regulation and international law. …show more content…
What can be gained by exploring the ocean? What secrets do the creatures of the deep give us? In California, a new business called Sirenas seeks to answer this question (Shoot). Sirenas is a new breed of business that “bio-prospects” material from the oceanic and coastal floors around their area. Their hunt is for a different type of treasure, an unexpected one. Sea sponges. For Sirenas, the sea sponge holds a wealth of biological knowledge just waiting to be tapped into. Sea Sponges have a very unique chemistry that allows them to regenerate and purge harmful cells from their bodies. Sirenas removes these vegetable like life forms from their habitats, studies them, takes whatever small samples they may need, and then returns them to their original states. The chemicals and derivatives they discover are becoming key components in anti-cancer and pharmaceutical medicines …show more content…
There are actually many. Take for instance Harriet, a pet turtle of pioneering naturalist Charles Darwin. Harriet was discovered by Charles on his 1835 voyage to The Galápagos Islands (in the middle Pacific off the coasts of South America). Harriet is believed to have been about five years old and no larger than a plate when taken from the isles. She lived to be 176, passing in 2006. Charles died long before Harriet did, but what gave the tortoise her longevity? Scientific research is beginning to pinpoint the cause. The current (and growing) theory is that there exist synapses in our brains called telomeres. These telomeres function best when long and stretched out. A substance called “telomerase” maintains the synapses and keeps them long (“Warmflash”). Research on animals like the Galapagos tortoise reveals that their brains have an abundance of telomerase, keeping their telomeres functioning for hundreds of years. The application of this substance on a human subject has many ethical problems around it, but the possibilities are astounding. The secret to prolonged life may be obtainable upon further research, which is an excellent incentive to continue study (“Warmflash”). Tortoises are land animals but there is a second creature, and oceanic creature, that lives even longer than the Galapagos tortoise. The ocean quahog clam “Ming” was 507 upon his death. That means that the clam was “born” in 1499, 277 years before
The fact that there have been many advancements in biomedical technology over the years have given us the ability to cure and prevent diseases that have once devastated the human population. These breakthroughs have allowed people to live longer and healthier lives, yet others believe that it runs the risk of “playing God” and that such matters should be left into the hands of a higher power. Today, this ethical debate still continues to raise questions on whether these scientific breakthroughs are morally acceptable. While I support the use of scientific breakthroughs, I believe that it should only be used for human benefit to cure those who are suffering from cancer. This approach seems more reasonable than using this technology to choose one’s eye color or keep someone on life support just because it is something that can be done, whether or not that is acceptable or not.
There are many different ways to show off your equines skill and ability and competitions are one of them. For years humans have been entering their equines in competitions to show off their grace, beauty, and strength. There's an abundance of competitions to show off your equestrian and each require a different type of training, horse, and skills. Three of the more popular competitions are rodeos, dressage, and show jumping. These competitons can include either speed, agility, skill, or even all three at one time!
What would the world be like if there was no vaccine for polio? If there was no discovery of insulin? Thanks to animal research we don’t have to live without vaccines or insulin. Animal research is a topic debated everyday around the world. Some argue it is cruel to put animals through experiments that animals have no voice in what is being done to them. Others argue that animal testing is good because it collects a lot of information and helps with surgical techniques. I believe that without animal testing we would never know what we know now. Animal testing for medical research is necessary if there are no other alternatives because it allows for advances in medicine, provides treatments for people with diseases, it eliminates human suffering, and it also has helped treat diseases in animals. (Animal Research 2013)
There have been many types of medical advances, but one in particular that has been said that it can help on the treatment of different type of diseases. Stem cells are multicellular organisms that can develop many more of their kind and then give birth to new kind of cells. This types of cells come from the umbilical cord of a new born. This became a huge dilemma where there’s a competing with moral and ethical values. The rumor is a never ending debate. This dilemma is not just in the U.S.A, but all around the world since this stem cell are so effective even though there’s some places where stem cells is ether no restriction or restricted .
“No bees, no honey; no work, no money.” Bees are becoming an endangered species due to colony collapse disorder, a colony no longer existing due to a combination of deadly factors. Bees are very important in our lives from making food cheaper to making honey-added in many medicines, foods, and other products. There are a few steps we can take in order to save our honeybees.
This week’s readings were particularly intriguing because of the advancements we have made and continue to make in the matter of years. However, I focused my attention on the ethical aspects of our medical
“It is a simple fact that many, if not most, of today’s modern medical miracles would not exist if experimental animals had not been available to medical scientists. It is equally a fact that, should we as a society decide the use of animal subjects is ethically unacceptable and therefore must be stopped, medical progress will slow to a snail’s pace. Such retardation will in itself have a huge ethical ‘price tag’ in terms of continued human and animal suffering from problems such as diabetes, cancer, degenerative cardiovascular diseases, and so forth.”
Imagine a world where there are no animals anywhere. There are still the ordinary cows, pigs, cats, dogs, but there is not a single tiger or rhinoceros. People all around the world have been killing animals for thousands of years and they need to stop and obey the laws. Make your voice heard for the animals; they can’t speak for themselves so we need to do it for them. Other reasons on why animals are getting put on the endangered species list and or going extinct: habitat intrusion, pet trade, climate change, and disease. Please help to save the animals or they won’t be here any longer.
Taken from the only place you've ever known. Away from the only family you have. Kept in crates and cages to be sold. Removed from their home, exotic animals are put in yours for personal amusement.This act is ruinous an inhumane, it violates the basic rights of human and animals. Exotic animals have a rightful place in their natural habitats, not as pets, because they endanger the community, become sick, and their owners abandon them.
The history of medical research in the twentieth century provides abundant evidence which shows how easy it is to exploit individuals, especially the sick, the weak, and the vulnerable, when the only moral guide for science is a naive utilitarian dedication to the greatest good for the greatest number. Locally administered internal review boards were thought to be a solution to the need for ethical safeguards to protect the human guinea pig. However, with problems surrounding informed consent, the differentiation between experimentation and treatment, and the new advances within medicine, internal review boards were found to be inadequate for the job. This led to the establishment of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission by President Bill Clinton in the hopes of setting clear ethical standards for human research.
The concepts of human enhancement and biotechnology are fairly new terms in the world of ethics and medicine. These words, although far from being unfamiliar, are not often heard in the medical field except in special cases. However, in the past few years, the research and use of biotechnology is on the rise and becoming more prevalent under certain situations. This week’s reading focuses on the issues of biotechnology in a historical and modern context, yet also addresses the pros and cons of such developments.
In an article titled “The Ethical Implications of Gene Therapy” the group of advisers on Ethical Implications of Biotechnology of the European commission states issues and rules that should be abided by, along with beliefs on the direction of biotechnology. At its present stage, biotechnology focuses on serious diseases which are incurable at the moment, however through this research treatment for these diseases could be found. The group of advisers feel that there should be levels at which research should focus on, instead of jumping into it all at once. Basic research should be carried out prior to clinical trials, and then move on to biotechnology. This can be done by supporting research actions, organizing training and exchange programs or any other appropriate means. Gene therapy protocols require that ethical evaluation consists of processes assuring quality, transparency and efficiency without delays of treatment to the patients who need it. This is crucial because an inefficient, poor quality treatment could cost someone their life. The group also feels that gene therapy research should be restricted to serious diseases for which there is not a current treatment. Expanding research to other things could be done if a medical evaluation calls for it. Equal access should be assured to all researchers within the European Union, thus sharing information and helping to improve orphan drugs. This could also save time and money. In order to insure the public of what is going on, conclusions of evaluations should regularly be published to encourage public debate. The public is not usually informed much about genetic therapy and many people have the wrong idea about it. Should reports be published more often, there will be less public confusion and ridicule.
The deployment of animals for medical research has brought heated debates from both the proponents and opponents each holding to their views in a tight manner. Those who are in support of animal research argue that it has been constituting a vital element in the advancement of medical sciences throughout the world providing insights to various diseases, which have helped in the discovery and development of various medicines that have brought an improvement in the qualify of living of people. Such discoveries have gone so deep that but for them many would have died a premature death because no cure would have been found for the diseases that they were otherwise suffering. On the other hand, animal lovers and animal right extremists hold to the view that animal experimentation is not only necessary but also Cruel. Human kind is subjecting them to such cruelties because they are helpless and even assuming such experiments do bring in benefits, the inhuman treatment meted out to them is simply not worth such benefits. They would like measures, including enactment of legislations to put an end to using animals by the name of research. This paper takes the view there are merits in either of the arguments and takes the stand a balanced approach needs to be taken on the issue so that both the medical science does not suffer, and the animal lovers are pacified, even if not totally satisfied. The rest of the paper is organized as follows: The next section discusses both the sides by taking account the view of scholars and practitioners and the subsequent section concludes the paper by drawing vital points from the previous section to justify the stand taken in this paper....
Bioethics is a reflection of controversial moral choices or decisions pertaining to medical and healthcare fields. There have always been ethical standards in healthcare handed down within each profession. Although ethical decisions of the past were followed without question, bioethics today is constantly debated among those in the medical field, the general public, and those in governmental positions. Technological advances within the last century have opened the door to discussion about the ethics surrounding the last medical and technological advances. The decisions are influenced by culture, religion, philosophy, and personal preference. Bioethical decisions are always open for questioning. It is even possible for issues to be ethical during one decade and upon review, deemed unethical several years later. It is the job of the medical community and the public to question these issues, debate them, and accept or reject them. Although there have been hundreds of people who have influenced bioethics through their technological advances, Sir Robert Edwards’ invitro- fertilization techniques have changed the way many women today can become a mother.
The procedures that will be the future of modern medicine currently fall into the realms of taboo and fictional. These procedures encompass every aspect of medical science, from exploration of the human body, curing diseases, to improving a person’s quality of life. Many of these procedures are not very well known, while a few have been in the spotlight. These procedures include cloning, nano-robotics, retro-viruses, and genetic manipulation via gene-specific medications. For any serious breakthroughs in modern medical science, we must embrace these new forms of treatment instead of shying away from them. Second, I’ll attempt to explain how these methods and procedures could benefit mankind.