GEN006: Applied Ethics

Module #8 Student Activity Sheet

Name: _____________________________________________________________ Class number: _______

Section: ____________ Schedule: _______________________________________ Date: ______________

Learning Unit: Principles of Bioethics (Part 1) Learning Materials:

Learning Objectives: Student Activity Sheets (PEN Modules)
At the end of the module, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the four (4) basic principles of Bioethics. Learning Resources:
2. Analyze ethical dilemmas related to life and death. Babor, E. (2006). Bioethics (2nd Edition). C&E
Publishing, Inc.
Timbreza, F. (2010). Bioethics and Moral
Decisions. C&E Publishing, Inc.

Quote of the Day:

“Life is a state of constant radiation and absorption; to exist is to radiate to exist is to be the
recipient of radiations.”
W
illiam George Jordan

A. LESSON PREVIEW/REVIEW

INTRODUCTION (5 MINS)
In the previous lesson, you’ve uncovered the different approaches to understand or define death, namely, (1)
Death is an event or phenomenon and (2) Death is a kind of human possibility. You were also able to determine
the importance of death in terms of providing meaning to our lives.

For today’s lesson, you will learn the nature of Bioethics, as well as the principles that governs the ethical
implications and applications of the health-related life sciences. You will also identify common bioethical issues
and try to provide possible solutions to these dilemmas.

Instructions: Answer the following question/s and write your answers in 2-3 sentences only.
1. If you need medical assistance, how do you want to be treated? Elaborate your answer.
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B. MAIN LESSON

LESSON PRESENTATION/CONTENT NOTES (15 MINS)

Instructions: Take your time to read and understand all the important information you need to know about the
lesson. Also, please do not forget to highlight important information to help you remember.

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 BIOETHICS
− Refers to the ethical implications and applications of the health-related life sciences. Dilemmas arise in the
development, study, and practice of these sciences. It involves the analysis of ethical issues raised by life-
sciences, the application of technology and medicine and health policies.
− Common Bioethical Dilemmas. (1) End of Life Treatment, (2) Organ Trafficking, (3) Genetic Modification, (4)
Access to Medicine and Health Services, (5) Assisted Procreation, (6) Human Cloning, and (7) Biotechnology.
● PRINCIPLES IN BIOETHICS
1. Principle of Non-Maleficence and Beneficence. Follows a utilitarian approach in way that it focuses on
not causing pain or harm to the person and follows a harm-benefit analysis like the Utilitarian Calculus.
It promotes patient welfare for medical personnel have the moral obligation to do good (e.g., improving
your skills and knowledge as a medical professional, as well as knowing your limitations).
2. Autonomy of Individuals. Focused on respective the rights and dignity of the patient by asking for their
informed and voluntary consent (e.g., disclosure of the nature of the intervention, its expected risks, and
the benefits and alternative available).
3. Principle of Justice. Focused on delivering health care without prejudice by dealing with patients fairly
and prioritizing care to those who are most vulnerable.
4. Principle of Fidelity. Presence of loyalty, reliability and good faith as well as the rule of confidentiality by
safeguarding the patient’s privacy.

“The basic ethical reference is Human Rights which are indivisible, inherent, universal and
inalienable. The right to life takes priority because the exercise of all these rights presupposes life.”

● ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN TREATING A PATIENT/PERSON

1. Find Thoughtful and Rational Justification (Setting Core Principles). Identify and analyze essential
elements. Ask why we may have certain intuitions and how to manage conflicting intuitions. Always
Promote consistency.
2. Define and Identify the Ethical Dilemma. Clarify the facts and identify stakeholders. Identify the Medical
indications (Diagnosis), Patient/Resident/Family (PRF) Preferences, Quality of Life, and Social Contexts
(Religion, Family Situation, and Financial Resources).
3. Analyze and Balance the Values Involved. Identify what are the available options and our prioritization
of certain values/principles. One should also be willing to do research and seek advice.
4. Make a Recommendation. Involve relevant stakeholders to create a shared decision-making process.
Make a Follow up and Evaluation to ensure accountability, consistency, and transparency, thereby
promoting trust and integrity.
5. Always remember that there is no one correct action, only an acceptable one.

SKILL-BUILDING ACTIVITY: RESEARCH EXPLORATION/ANNOTATION ACTIVITY (30 MINS)

Instructions: Read the following online articles and/or watch the videos below. You can also do your own
research regarding the common bioethical issues such as abortion, euthanasia, contraception, suicide, among
others. Then, you are to make annotations on the articles you’ve read or videos you’ve watched. This will serve
as a preparatory activity for the skill-building activity of the next lesson.
Here are a few guide questions for the annotation activity:
1. Who is the speaker/author? What is their background?
2. What are the important points mentioned by the speaker/author?
3. What were the ideas introduced? How did the speaker/author develop the ideas mentioned?
4. What was the progression of the speech or article? Was the intent or objective clear?

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 5. Do you agree with the ideas and points mentioned by the speaker/author? Do you have any questions?
6. Were you able to relate the discussions in the video/article with your personal experiences?

Suggested References:

Al Jazeera English. (2010). Abortion Agony in the Philippines. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-h77gSHWLs

BBC Stories. (2019). Euthanasia Doctor: ‘I don’t call it killing’. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdK0neywYOc

BBC UK. (2014). Religion and Abortion. Online Article. Retrieved from
https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/religion/religion.shtml

Jain, R. & Muralidhar, S. (2012). Contraceptive Methods: Needs, Options, and Utilization. Online Article.
Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307935/

MedicalNewsToday (2018). What is Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide? Blog. Retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/182951

TED. (2018). How a Male Contraceptive Pill Could Work | John Amory. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MHOk7qVhYs

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING: SHORT-ANSWER ESSAY (5 MINS)

Instructions: Answer the following question/s and write your answers in 3-5 sentences only.
1. A physician has five patients, each in need of a different organ and will die without that organ.
Unfortunately, there are no organs available to perform any of these five transplant operations. A young
man who just got hit by a trolley is brought into the ER. While assessing his injuries, which are not life-
threatening if treated immediately, the doctor discovers that his organs are compatible with all five of his
dying patients. If you were the physician, what would you do? Would you let the patient die to harvest his
organs to save the other patients?
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C. LESSON WRAP-UP

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 THINKING ABOUT LEARNING (5 MINS)
Think About Your learning. Take a few minutes to reflect on the quality of your work and effort.
1. In your opinion, what should be the most basic foundation/principle of Bioethics? Elaborate your
answer.
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2. What parts were challenging for you to do? Why do you think was it challenging for you ?
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. How should we treat medical patients?
- Act to maximize the best outcomes or Act to uphold important moral rules and duties.
- Act to ensure informed and voluntary consent.
- Follow policies or Treat people equally/fairly.
- Focus on providing access to scarce resources.

RUBRICS
ESSAYS
Content is comprehensive, Content is somewhat Content is incomplete and
accurate, and credible. It comprehensive but appears inappropriate. It
demonstrates an in-depth disorganized. It demonstrates demonstrates a lack of
Content
reflection and analysis of the a general analysis and reflection and analysis of the
lesson. (3) minimal reflection of the lesson. (1)
lesson. (2)
There are no/few spelling There are some spelling or There are significant spelling
Mechanics and/or punctuation errors. (2) punctuation errors. (1) and punctuation errors. (0)

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