Group 1 (Final Group Activity)

Decide the case by following the steps in moral decision making.

A friend of your mother, who is your godmother also, experienced a rare progressive and
eventually fatal disease as after effect of a COVID vaccine. In the course of your work as a
biologist you discover a highly experimental but potentially lifesaving medication that is
being tested as a clinical trial at the institution where you are employed.

You make a few inquiries and now have serious doubts about whether your mother’s friend
will be able to get into the study because the waiting list already is much longer than the
experimental protocol allows. Still, you think the caring thing to do is to at least let her know
that such an intervention is available that could save her life. Knowing her, she will definitely
want to go for it and will push you hard to try to influence your colleague to get her into the
study.

While you are thinking about these things, the clinician conducting the protocol calls you
back to say that on the basis of your being a fellow employee, she may try to rearrange the
listing queue to get your mother’s friend into the study. No promises.

Now you find yourself wondering if it is fair to those who already are in the listing queue if
your influence does work and your mother’s friend jumps ahead in the line.

How do you go about deciding what to do in this situation that brings to your doorstep
both your care for someone close to your mother with a medical need (although not a
patient of yours) and your reflection about others eligible for inclusion in the study who
may end up being ousted from the listing queue?
Step 1: Identify the ethical question
As a medical practitioner, should I let my godmother jumped ahead in the list knowing that
there’s already a long waiting list for a lifesaving medication?
Step 2: Determine the facts: Known and Unknown

KNOWN UNKNOWN

My godmother experienced rare and It is not yet confirmed that this

progressive fatal disease after COVID medication is effective.
vaccination.

We have developed a highly potential The reaction of other people who are
but lifesaving medication. already in the listing queue.

The Clinician conducting the protocol If godmother will be able to get in.
might rearrange the listing queue to get
my godmother into the study.

The waiting list is already long for the If there is one person who is willing to
experimental protocol. sacrifice and be ousted so that the
godmother will get into the listing
queue.

Step 3: Stakeholders and their Values

Godmother, a friend of the medical practitioner's mother experienced an after effect of a
COVID vaccine, which is a rare progressive and fatal disease. Having such a rare disease
would surely urge her to push her godchild to make her jump on the list. On the other hand,
she has to be fair in whatever circumstance she might face on chasing for the medication
she needed. If I were in the position of the godmother, I will not take advantage on the
influence of my godchild who is conducting a clinic trial on a highly experimental but
potentially lifesaving medication. (Virtue Ethics)
Clinician, tries to assess how she could help on the basis of being a fellow employee. She
told no promise, but would try to rearrange the listing queue to get the godmother into the
study. However, it is the clinician’s moral duty to conduct the study with no bias. If I were in
the position of the clinician, I will explain to the biologist why can't I do anything regarding
the situation. Moreover, with no promises, I will tell the biologist to wait for further changes
and adjustments regarding the soon to be conducted study and his godmother might be in.
(Deontology)
Medical practitioner, biologist in particular, discovered a highly experimental, but
potentially lifesaving medication that could possibly save the life of his godmother. He is
confused while thinking about the situation, wondering if it is fair for the others who are
already in the listing queue. If I were in the position of the biologist, I will not use my
influence to make my godmother jump ahead in the list. Rather, I will let her know that
there is such an intervention that could save her life, but I will explain to her that I could no
longer do something to make her on the list and that the best thing we could do is to wait
for further changes and adjustments because I believe that it is not only her who needs the
certain medication. Thus, I’ll have a clean conscience and a sound mind. (Utilitarianism)

Step 4: Possible Solution - Generating Options

Health care practitioner, being the godchild, have doubts if the godmother could get
into the study. Consequently, what the godchild can do is follow what the experimental
protocol allows.

 Convince the godmother to accept the fact that there is no more chance for her to
get into the study because the waiting list is already much longer than the
experimental protocol allows.
 Make inquiries with the individuals who are on the listing queue. There may be
someone who would give its slot for the godmother.
 Use influence to get the godmother included in the listing queue.

Step 5: Decision and Justification

Subsequent to surveying the situation, I have concluded that among every one of the
possible options/solutions that are given, convincing the godmother to accept that there is
no more available slots for her is the best decision for both parties. Considering that there
are many who came first before her and that it is not only her who needs the said
medication. Using the Moral virtues of Virtue Ethics, which includes fairness, benevolence,
honesty, loyalty, conscientiousness, and courage, I could say that by doing a fair and honest
decision of explaining the godmother and making her accept the fact, it would give
everyone the clean conscience and a sound mind. Pushing the medical practitioner to use
her influence regarding the godmother’s situation will only put malice and distrust in its
profession. Medical practitioners were trained to stronger their mind, physique and
emotion to not easily get swayed. They even made an oath to perform their job fairly and no
bias, be it with relatives or with friends. Moreover, it would also be beneficial to the medical
practitioner’s fellow employee for she will no longer have to rearrange the listing queue.
Choosing to convince the godmother to accept the fact is the best way I could think as it will
help the biologist to go on with his discovery's clinical trial with no worries and clean
conscience. It may sound ironic since it seems like one decision would put the life of another
person in danger. But either way, there also has this person who came first on the list, which
also needs the certain medication the godmother needs. It is also not a 100% sure if the
clinical trial would really free the godmother from that particular disease.

Step 6: Action/Evaluation/Consequences
 I would respond to the medical practitioner’s circumstance by convincing the
godmother to accept the fact that she could no longer get into the study since the waiting
list already is much longer than the experimental protocol allows for it might be the best
solution. First, the clinician will no longer take much of her time and will no longer have to
rearrange the listing queue. Second, no one will have to be ousted from the listing queue.
And lastly, the medical practitioner will have a clean conscience since the honest, unbiased
and rightful decision has been made.
Withal, this decision has a great impact on the godmother who needed the
medication. She even want to push the godchild to use her influence so that she could jump
in the line. It only shows how she desperately wants the slot for the medication and this
might cause her to be disappointed with her godchild. The godmother might not be treated
and this could lead into an unhealthy friendship with the biologist’s mother. As for the
medical practitioner, she would make further inquiries to at least help his godmother but
with limits. He still has to be neutral regarding the situation to be fair and honest with
everyone.
Being in the situation and choosing what to decide is not easy. It might cause other
people to think of me as evil because of the decision which led to endanger the health of my
godmother. It might also affect my reputation as a medical practitioner since families of
patients might think of me as evil for disregarding my godmothers need. Notwithstanding
people's opinion, it is my work as an ethical agent to consider what is the best choice to be
done regardless of the penances I will be facing.

Group 1:
Laiza Ebo
Lady Lieca Awa
Jerlie Loise Medija
Russelle Darlene Estoque
Shabierah Ainee Limbona