Bioethical Scenarios

A company requires applicants and employees to submit to testing as a requirement for

employment. One of these tests shows an employee has a gene which may cause the person
to develop a disease/condition within their lifetime. The company supplies health
insurance for all employees. An increase in claims because of this condition will cost the
company money. The company has the right to not hire this individual based on the
results. Should the company be allowed to do this testing? Should the company be
required to share the results with the employee? Take the position of either the
company or the employee and defend your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Many couples trying to have children rely on fertility clinics to provide gametes for
fertility treatments. A male unmarried, childless college student donates male gametes to a
sperm bank throughout his college career to earn extra money. The donors and recipients
are anonymous. However, over 400 children are conceived and born from his haploid
gametes. Do these children have right to know who the donor (biological father) is if they
ask or should they be notified? Does the donor have right to privacy? Should the donor
have a responsibility to the children? What happens if one of these children develop a rare
genetic disorder and need a transplant from a biological parent or sibling? Consider what
the outcome(s) would be if these children as adults had children of their own unknowingly
with a genetic sibling. Take a position and defend your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
One of the advances in genetic research is the development of genetically modified
organisms (GMO’s). This creates plants that are resistant to diseases and insects, drought
tolerant, and can be mass produced more efficiently by altering the DNA sequence to make
them better suited to the environment. Many farmers in our area use GMO’s for their crops
without even knowing they are using GMOs. This also creates animals which are larger,
stronger, and more resistant to disease. Considering the world population is nearing 7
billion people and hunger is a major concern with the development of lands once used for
agriculture, food will become more difficult to provide. Should science continue to modify
plants and animals, even though that is not how they were originally created? Do you
think you are eating GMO’s? Should companies be required to label food that is a GMO?
Take a position and defend your answer.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________