Activity 2.3

Activity 1.1

Activity 1.2

Activity 1.3

Subtopic 2: Bioethical Problems Identification

Activity 2.1

Activity 2.2

Activity 2.3

Subtopic 3: Methods and Strategies for Decision-Making

Activity 3.1

Activity 3.2

Activity 3.3

Module Summary

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Philosophical Issues

Purpose
Philosophical issues arise when straight-forward answers to complex questions of practical import defy all efforts to achieve concensus on how best to proceed, even to the point of raising serious objections about whether the problems involved are in fact problems of ethical concern. The purpose of this activity is to begin sorting through the questions already raised under this topic in order to bring focus to those that are ethical in scope.

Activity 2.3

Students will conduct an interim review of the philosophical issues involved in determining what is ethical and not-ethical in terms of the values that are expressed when making public health decisions. Students will compare the various opposing positions on the question of ADAP funding and eligibility in terms of ethical authority, utility, and the critical method. The purpose of this comparison will be to identify and discuss possible philosophical conflicts that arise between the application of these methods to the same set of agreed upon facts, namely that there are indivuals in need of assistance, that funding is short, that research has not yet solved the problem with a cure, and that drug costs are not likely to go down. Students will identify all philosophical differences with the instrucotr's help, and will attempt to articulate a position that renders them mute. This can be accomplished in part by creating focus groups on each issue identified, and then through open class discussion and online forums.