Read the following article. Write a paragraph (at least 5 sentences) response debating the ethical issues: that may rise from this announcement. Make sure to use scientific terms and have a sound argument. Write another paragraph on how this announcement can affect individuals living with HIV today.
HIV Article
Candice Bess
ReplyDeleteEthical issues are good or bad things associated with a decision or a situation. For this example, it's obviously good because the child was cured and no longer has HIV. It's also good that this research and experiment was conducted because now we know what medicines could possible treat HIV at young ages. Although this is typically a good thing, it could also be bad. The treatment given and the medicines used may potentially harm the child when they get older. Since they haven't done much testing with this, there is no way to know.
This announcement stating possible new cures for HIV patients can help individuals today with HIV in many ways. For one, with this new research and medication announcements, people might possible have a chance to be cured. They might not have to suffer from this disease. Also, it could provide a sense of relief. Even if they themselves can't be cured, they know that their family, friends, and other victims in the world may have a chance.
Ethical issues surrounding this announcement might include, if a cure is invented because of it, who would be able to get it. There would also be ethical issues involving the testing subjects, or the first people or babies experimented on. There are also many ethics involving testing on pregnant women, because babies in the womb are fragile, and some methods of treatment could result in aborting the child. The same thing applies to newborns,if death does occur due to this research it may be hard to justify and may cause some law suits. Although there are a few draw backs, there are also many advantages of this testing. Antiretroviral therapy, or ART brings hope to parents of unborn babies who carry the HIV virus. There is also hope that this may help researchers find a cure for everyone.
ReplyDeleteIndividuals living with HIV today can now better understand the HIV virus. They can also help to understand the risks and possibilities of having children in the future. After further research, this announcement could help scientists come up with a cure for the HIV virus for babies and then later for adults. Before this conclusion, it was very risky for an HIV infected person to have children, but now that it is better understood. They now have treatment that may keep them from lifelong side effects.
Codey Kirkpatrick
ReplyDeleteWell the ethics behind the topic is really arguable in my opinion. The child was cured of HIV, so ethically some may say this is an act of playing God. The kid may be subject to side effects from the treatment, who knows. All in all, it will cause a stir in the scientific and religious communities. The main argument I see arising from this would be, if we are supposed to be doing this and the argument of "Playing God".
This new story is going to change the whole community of HIV patients. This is the beginnings of a vaccine, a cure. They may finally be able to cured from their disease. A sense of relief and comfort should be in the individuals, or it should be developing as the cure progresses. This could mean extending the lives of people who were basically sentenced to death. It is a huge step in the medical community.
Jenna Pruitt
ReplyDeleteAn ethical issue that may rise from this announcement is the fact that the child could react negatively to the high dosage of medications she is given. Patients may need to go on HIV treatments for an extended period of time. Halting the prescribed treatments might cause the HIV virus to return and infect the patient. It is a high risk exposure to the child. Which could have long term affects on the child's immune system. A child may have allergic reactions to said medicine which could cause future health problems.
If the child's treatments continue to be successful in the future the HIV patients could have a cure. If the treatment proves to only be effective in children's immune systems then adults living with the virus wouldn't have to worry as much when it comes to having children. Finding a cure for children could lead to finding a cure for adults with further study. The whole process could have a positive effect on many peoples lives. Having a cure could help people not have to worry and live with fear.
The ethical issues in this case study are difficult. One ethical problem would be the type of person who is chosen to get the treatments. Another one would be it could kill the baby, which in a way is the same as an abortion. The good thing is the baby could be cured and be able to live a normal life. ART, antiretroviral therapy can give the effected HIV parents hope that their child may not get or continue to carry on the HIV virus.
ReplyDeleteThis announcement can affect individuals living with HIV greatly! it gives them hope that their kids can live a normal life. Scientists can now understand the HIV virus better and hopefully be able to perfect the treatment so everyone can be cured. For now it is still risky for an HIV person to have kids. But hopefully in the future HIV will no longer be an issue!
Lindsay Plampin
ReplyDeleteEthical issues are developed when people’s beliefs are challenged. Religious communities may have controversial issues because this testing could be seen as unethical. In order to continue the experiments you would have to have test subjects. The test subjects would have to be women and children. This causes more ethical issues. The experiments could also have side effects or even a possible death. All of this causes the testing to have ethical issues.
This announcement can give people diagnosed with HIV hope. Even if the people already infected cannot be cured there is a possibility their kids or families could be cured. This will give many families relief. Individuals living with HIV will also gain a better understanding of HIV. This also opens the door to possible vaccines and maybe even a cure.
This new found discovery of treatment of HIV can cause a lot of ethical issues. This may include treating the baby without permission of the mother and taking samples of any baby born from a mother living with HIV without permission. The scientists working on the cure, like Gay, has the ability to obtain samples of tissues from the baby and use them for research without permission. This could lead to many scientists doing the same, and tampering with something that doesn't belong to them. Scientists have the ability to make millions off of any baby's samples. The scientists also have the ability to treat the baby without permission. There could be mothers who do not want this treatment, and it could go against what they believe in. Overall, many issues arise around cures for anything, especially involving a newborn who can not make decisions. Even though the mother will decide, that doesn't mean a scientist will ask for permission.
ReplyDeleteThis new discovery can also mean many things to people living with HIV. This provides a little bit of hope for those victimized by HIV and gives them the strength to keep going. If the baby remains HIV negative throughout its life, than scientists could potentially extinguish this virus once and for all. Then, there would be no trace of HIV left. Science is truly a miracle and this new discovery is destined to change the life's of many.
One of the ethical issues with testing for HIV and administering medicine to newborn babies is that it could cause health problems in the future. There is no evidence that proves that the medication is safe and will not cause fatalities in infants. There is no full assurance that all the babies will fully recover from HIV or that it won’t return when they grow older. The other danger is that the ART (standard antiretroviral therapy) could cause more harm than good for a young infant. Another medical issue is how doctors will determine who will need this medication if they administer it, and how they will ensure the safety of the baby through the process. Since the child and the parent do not get to determine whether medication is necessary it could cause major violations concerning human rights.
ReplyDeleteThis preventative measure could keep HIV from being passed during pregnancy and childbirth. It could also cure people who have HIV and prevent it from spreading throughout their body. The discovery could lead to HIV patients to completely recover from it.
The ethical issues surrounding this argument are dealing with the fact of preforming such medical attention to a new born baby. It could have been unsafe or fatal. Also with this type of testing, if the baby does in fact die, how are we to know if this is a for sure cure or not, and the issues that will later come with the death. The outcome is good because this particular child has been cured of the disease. Another ethical issue is that the treatment may not work on all patients treated, or extended treatment may be continuously needed throughout life.
ReplyDeleteThis new announcement for a possible HIV cure comes as a good and negative to people with this virus. This is can be a great this, because it gives people hope for longer and healthier lives. At the same time, what if this is not an actual cure, it could be potentially devastating to those in hope. Another positive factor is that if this is a cure, there is less fear for infected parents giving the disease to their offspring.
Ethical issues are such an important topic now. Religious communities would have a newborn baby being treated for HIV, considering the health and age of the baby. You never know if the treatment would work and it could have a fatal outcome. The risk of trying this type of testing is knowing if it will actually work. Many people would be torn in what to do in this situation.
ReplyDeleteThis announcement could be beneficial to people living with HIV. This shows them that, there could be a cure, whether good or bad. It gives hope to people who have struggled all their lives. On the other side, it could be a negative thing if it doesn't work. People could be receiving false hope and being let down tremendously.