Bi0954 Bioethics - online case studies

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/0/2. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Petr Chlapek, DiS., Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Renata Veselská, Ph.D., M.Sc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
RNDr. Petr Chlapek, DiS., Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Petr Chlapek, DiS., Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Bi0952 Bioethics - seminar
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 14 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to extend the basic knowledge in the field of bioethics as well as to develop the skills of argumentation, critical thinking, and presentation of ethically relevant topics. The course is taught in the form of projects.
Learning outcomes
Student will be able to identify the relevant case studies for different types of ethical aspects of biomedicine; to identify and to describe the main ethical dilemmas in the presented case studies; to understand and to justify various types of argumentation.
Syllabus
  • 1. ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION (the choice of proper animal model, 3R principle) 2. RESEARCH ON HUMAN SUBJECT (therapeutic and non-therapeutic research, clinical studies, observational and behavioral studies, the participation of vulnerable groups) 3. TRANSPLANTATION MEDICINE (harvesting of organs and tissues for transplatation and research purposes, principle of presumed consent/dissent, principles of allocation) 4. BIOBANKING (resources of biological material for research, informed consent for tissue donations, DNA samples, biobanking) 5. CELL TECHNOLOGIES (embryo research, chimera creation, stem cells, cloning, concept of reproductive liberty) 6. ASSISTED REPRODUCTION(availability of the assisted reproduction, gamete donation and embryo donation, surrogate motherhood, age and social limitations) 7. GENETIC DIAGNOSIS BEFORE BIRTH (preimplantation and prenatal diagnosis, genetic screening, termination of pregnancy vs. premature births) 8. POSTNATAL GENETIC TESTING (genetic diagnosis, predictive and presymptomatic testing, diagnosis for non-medical reasons, "entertaining" genetics) 9. END OF LIFE (pain and palliative care, assisted suicidium, euthanasia) 10. GENETICKY MODIFIKOVANÉ ORGANISMY (transgenosis for research and commercial purposes, genetically modified organisms, GM food and products) 11. EUGENICS AND HUMAN ENHANCEMENT (eugenics and dysgenics, gene therapy, genetic and non-genetic enhancement) 12. ETHICS IN SCIENCE (scientific integrity, authorship, publication rules, reviewing, alternative medicine)
Literature
  • Murphy, Timothy F: Case Studies in Biomedical Research Ethics. The MIT Press; 1 edition, 2004. ISBN: 978-0262632867
  • Penslar, Robin Levin: Research Ethics: Cases and Materials. Indiana University Press; 1995. ISBN: 978-0253209061
Teaching methods
Due to the given prerequisites, students of the Bioethics online course are expected to have a deeper knowledge of the issue of bioethics. The course should then add another important skill - to be able to present an ethically controversial topic, including relevant argumentation, not only to experts but also to the wide public. Teaching will be organized in the form of projects. At the beginning of the course, the students will choose one or more ethically relevant topics and subsequently they will prepare an educational audiovisual presentation on this topic (individually, in pairs or in small groups - depending on the form of presentation). Possible forms of presentations should be as follows: video essay, staged interview or moderated discussion; however, audio recording or podcast can be also used. Presentations will focus on current bioethical issues, which are often a source of polarization in society. The presentation content should be based on key case studies and relevant basic ethical principles; and it should present the topic, including a summary of the argumentations of individual parties in this ethical conflict. The number and the preliminary scope of the presentations will be chosen by students at the beginning of the course. At the beginning of the course, a deadline is also set for the submission of the presentation, so that other students and teachers have an opportunity to comment the presentation in the online discussion forum during the semester. Based on the replies, the improvement of the presentation should follow, at least, in the form of question answering only.
Assessment methods
To successfully pass the course, the creation of one or more presentations in a pre-agreed range is required. If the presentation is prepared by one student only, one topic is enough (e.g. video essay). In the case of cooperation of more people (e.g. staged interview, discussion), there should be as many essays as there are participating authors. In the case of larger or, in contrast, very short presentations, the number and/or content can be modified by agreement. The course is completed by a colloquium.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: online výuka.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018.
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