WRIT 150 Blog

 My topic is ethics in clinical trials. I will be focusing on third stage clinical trials (testing for efficacy and safety) in which a new treatment for a previously untreatable condition is being tested. Based on my research, I learned that there is a large conflict between the interests of patients, doctors, and researchers. Patients often participate in trials hoping to gain the possible benefits of an experimental drug, so be assigned to a placebo is obviously not in their interest. This is also not in the interest of doctors, according to the pillar of beneficence, they must choose the most beneficial course of action for their patient. Yet, this is against the interest of researchers as a control group is required for good data. I decided that in this case the interest of the patient is most important, so designing a trial in which they can allows receive the most beneficial treatment is vital. From research, I discovered a third stage clinical trial design known as a respons...

 The ethical dilemma that I will be focusing on is medical ethics in clinical trials, specifically medical equipoise. Medical equipoise is the idea that the clinicians who conduct clinical trials should genuinely posses no knowledge of which participants receive the experimental therapy and which receive a placebo. The issue that can occur, however, is that patients may either be harmed by the drug itself or by the placebo. In addition, patients in the placebo arm of the study may be prevented from receiving a potentially effective treatment. This puts in conflict the values of beneficence and non-maleficence with autonomy. Patients may decide to take on higher risk, so placing them into a placebo group without their knowledge would be against autonomy. In addition, beneficence toward future patients by proving the safety and efficacy of a drug comes into conflict with non-maleficence toward present patients. A possible course of action to solve this issue is crossover trials in wh...

 Instead of focusing on COVID-19 vaccinations, since this is such a polarizing issue, I have decided to change my focus to childhood vaccinations, or the many vaccinations children are often required to receive in order to attend elementary. I have decided to take a fairly paternalistic approach to this issue and argue that states should  legally require vaccinations for children to attend elementary school with only a few strict exceptions. I have chosen this approach for a few reasons. Suboptimal vaccination in the United States has led to the resurgence of previously eliminated diseases.  Legal precedent strongly supports requiring childhood vaccinations. States with the strictest vaccination laws possess the highest childhood vaccination rates. Finally, m aking exceptions difficult to obtain is an effective method to determine their validity and increase compliance. However, t hose who oppose vaccination often possess genuine reasoning and concerns. Therefor...