Human genetic enhancement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human genetic enhancement - Essay Example The introduced genes may support the normal genes and enhance certain traits and this also provides solution to many human genetic or phenotypic disorders such as short height etc. However, the implementation of the technology on humans have raised a number of ethical concerns since it alters nature’s selection and destroys the original identity of the person who is being bio-enhanced even though the same technology maybe beneficial is used knowledgably and hence the U.S policy makers must keep a number of things in mind before adjusting the limit to which genetic enhancement maybe allowed. The President of America has ordered the removal of all limitations on the research involving stem cell technologies since the field is deemed promising and the research of â€Å"human embryonic cells and human non-embryonic cells has the potential to lead to better understanding and treatment of many disabling disease and conditions† (The President,2009, 10667). This has enable rese arch endeavor in the field of enhancement however, this is deemed â€Å"interfering† and â€Å"unethical†. In the framework of human rights, each individual has the right to his or her own genetic identity and hence enjoy the uniqueness bestowed through the genetic makeup. The molecular tools that helps to manipulate this genetic makeup destroys this uniqueness and the original identity of the person which automatically leads to violation of the basic human rights. One of the most important features of genetic enhancement at the embryonic level is that it would enable a baby to have 3 and even 4 genetic parents at one time and therefore gives rise an ethical dilemma since this will interfere with the identity of the child. Researchers who are associated with the development of the technology claim that human genetic enhancement is a primary tool for preventing or diagnosing genetic disease in babies. Rob Stein informs us that geneticists and researchers have found out how to manipulate the DNA in the human egg and this is being hailed as an immensely advanced achievement since it will help prevent hereditary genetic disorders in the babies (All things Considered,2012). The researchers develop healthy embryos by substituting the mutated or defective DNA in the baby with normal DNA taken from healthy gene. Mitchell in his article says that a line must be drawn between genetic therapy and enhancement. The scientists involved in genetic enhancement technology have diminished the line between using genetic manipulation for treating genetic problems and disorders and substituting or supplementing normal genes with selected better genes to create a superior human (Mitchell,2010). Biological enhancement is not in conformity with the true motive of medical treatments. Medical treatments are aimed towards providing good health to patients and keeping them as â€Å"natural† as possible i.e. the internal and the external balance of each individual mus t be kept optimum and a complete state of homeostasis must be maintained. Mitchell writes â€Å"Whether we call it healing, wellness, or shalom, the goals of medicine are restorative and preventive† (Mitchell,2010) and human genetic advancements must not be thereby deemed as a method for clinical prevention of diseases. It cannot be denied that man has always wanted his children to be better. It is often a

Human resorce web Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human resorce web - Article Example It also said that the company's management had failed to address and correct the issue even after the victims raised complains. The acts violated the Civil Rights of 1964, Title VII. The company also was to offer training to all employees, furnish the commission with its employment-practice reports for 3 year period and source for consultancy to review the company's policies dealing with harassment and the involved procedures in an agreed consent decree which was, on September 5 approved by the court. The above case shows that rules on work discrimination needed to be strengthened and taken very seriously. In addition, the laws are still weak on these cases since I feel that the senior officials would have been taken personally responsible for this misconduct. All forms of sexual harassment to interfere with a person's employment, performance at work un- reasonably, intimidates him/her or sense of it, hostile or work environment that is not conducive. The laws also prohibit discrimination against age, disability, pay discrimination, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion and retaliation.

Does Motivating Nurses Lead to Higher Levels of Job Satisfaction Literature review

Does Motivating Nurses Lead to Higher Levels of Job Satisfaction - Literature review Example Job satisfaction is the level to which an employee of an organization is content with their position and enjoys their role (Armstrong 2006.) Satisfaction on the job is of considerable interest in the health services industry. Job satisfaction has a direct correlation with improved job productivity and also predicts lower employee turnover rates and reduction of absenteeism (Cohen and Golan 2007). Â  However, there is a gap in the research literature as to whether motivating nurses improves job satisfaction. There could potentially be mitigating circumstances of a nursing position or the specific health services environment where a nurse is employed that improves job satisfaction without necessarily considering motivation. For example, Craven, Hirnle, and Jensen (2013) assert that nurses require meaningful social relationships and affection in order to experience higher levels of job satisfaction. Favorable feelings about one’s job encompass the essence of job satisfaction (Robbins 2005). Â  In an environment where nursing supervisors must develop appropriate strategies to improve job satisfaction, learning whether motivational strategies are sufficient enough is of considerable concern in an effort to create new best practice leadership strategies to boost performance and productivity of nurses. If motivation is inadequate for improving nurses’ job satisfaction, then nursing supervisors can determine other, more valuable strategies to create a rewarding and productive work environment for diverse nursing professionals. Â  

Knowledge management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Knowledge management - Essay Example cess of KM formation involves creation, capture, storage and distribution of knowledge or information, needed for the organization during appropriate times. KMS will aid the leaders in the overall functioning of the organization and will provide them a good back up to all their strategies. Actually, these ‘systems’ by backing up the leaders will optimize their performance and it will directly show in the optimum performance of the employees. So, this paper will analyze this theme of Knowledge Management using the article titled Knowledge Management featured in the magazine, The Economist, and how that it is vital for the employee and organizational success. The article starts off with the words by renowned management guru, Peter Drucker, who in 1980’s itself hypothesized that that Knowledge Management will be a key process in future for the optimum functioning of the organizations. â€Å"The typical business [of the future] will be knowledge-based, an organisation composed largely of specialists who direct and discipline their own performance through feedback from colleagues, customers and headquarters. For this reason it will be what I call an information-based organisation.† (The Economist).So, Knowledge Management will raise the efficiency level of the leaders, aid them in actualizing an optimal organizational environment and thereby will enrich the knowledge and skill of the employees. Focusing on the importance of employees in the process of Knowledge Management, the article opines that the ‘content’ that is developed and stored in the heads and hearts of the employees need to be optimally used for optim izing organizational functioning. The article further states that the effective knowledge of the workers will become valuable assets or properties for the organization. So they need to be further developed and various forms of that knowledge also need to be preserved through technological means. â€Å"They had become properties whose most valuable asset

International relation&the 2003 Intervention in Iraq Case Study

International relation&the 2003 Intervention in Iraq - Case Study Example There was no the mandate of the United Nations; it was a policy that was used by the US administration to destabilize Saddam Hussein’s government. Consequently, when George Bush took office in 2001, he was determined to accomplish what his predecessor had started. President Bill Clinton had authorized the $97 million military aid to the Iraq opposition forces to topple Saddam Hussein and install the democratic government (Popular Social Science 1). After the first Gulf War in Iraq both the Clinton and the Bush administrations hoped that the imposition of economic sanctions and the no-flight zones in Iraq would result in a palace revolution by members of Saddam’s own Baath regime (Popular Social Science 1). This was not U.N. policy, however, but Washington’s own unilateral intention was to overthrow the regime in Baghdad and install a democracy in Iraq. From the above phenomena, we can depict that the second Bush Administration did not follow the channels of the United Nations to launch war; because there were concerns the deal could not be vetoed due to humanitarian concerns and could hinder the big plans right from the Clinton Administration. Additionally, in 2002 the Congress and the Senate of the United States had passed a resolution that gave the president more powers to invade any country without the mandate of the United Nations (Popular Social Science 1). From the above statement, it gives a clear picture the congress and the Senate were main bodies that empowered the Second Bush Administration to declare war without the authorization of the United Nations. Additionally, by 2002 the US was speaking in one voice on matters of foreign policy, thus, Bush used the proxy endorsement of the resolution of the congress and the senate to the launch war against Saddam Hussein. The United States is likely to attack another country unilaterally because there was a declaration made in1992 by the Department of the United States Defense. In this

Why did the United States invade Iraq Term Paper

Why did the United States invade Iraq - Term Paper Example Therefore if a state functions within its own territories in a way that causes massive violations of these essential principles like manufacturing weapons of mass destructions or carrying out activities like genocide, then it is indeed a potential threat to the world community. The maxim â€Å"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† is very relevant here. The world has become a small global village wherein we are so interconnected that the act of one will affect another directly or indirectly. Actions of each and every state are now a matter of concern and should be closely scrutinized to prevent an era of disharmony leading to a situation like that of world wars. In the decades following the horrors of World War II and the genocide of European Jews, the world community was shocked and UN spurred by these terrible crimes demonstrated the renewed political will of bringing together the nations to combat any such threat to world peace and welfare in future. It has now become a general principle accepted both in  law  and practice that imperialism and foreign invasion were antithetical to the right of self-determination, which was understood to be the basis of the post-World War II worldwide  order. In the light of above mentioned principles of international law and its protected principles, an attempt has been made here to study the reason and legality of US’s attack on Iraq on various ground. ... We are still in a speculation mode regarding why exactly USA invaded Iraq; whether the motive was to actually disarm them of any weapons of mass destruction or was it because Bush administration eyed the oil wells of Iraq. In the era where the international values are â€Å"peace, security and the well being of the world†, it is not at all acceptable that a country wage war on another country for selfish ulterior motives, under the garb of protecting the noble principles of international law. Thus there is no denying the fact that there is an utmost urgency to probe into the reasons of such invasions. The USA’s invasion was criticized as illegal war legalized by misusing the international principles. If this is true then we are facing a very imminent threat posed by the developed countries to developing countries and this war will act as a bad international precedent for the same. Hence the actual reason behind the invasion of Iraq is a million dollar question. HISTORIC AL PERSPECTIVE USA and its allies attacked Iraq under the pretext that Saddam Hussein was in possession of weapons of mass destruction and it was likely that he would pass along those arms to al Qaeda. However the validity of such a ground was later found to be highly diluted. Experts thereafter postulated that we cannot all together rule out the possibility that this war was the outcome of enigmatic psychology of bush, particularly with respect to his relationship with his father along with the irresistible temptation of getting a strong hold over the prized Mesopotamian oil fields. Possibly he sought to "finish the job" that his father had begun in 1991 or may be to avenge Hussein who was alleged to have made attempts to

Ethics and Placebo Trials Essay Example for Free

Ethics and Placebo Trials Essay Placebo trials are experimental trials that involve the administration of a substance that does not really have any effect on the individual’s system. This means that it is a neutral trial that will have neither positive nor negative effects on the physiology of the person it is administered on. Whatever positive benefits may be derived out of placebo trials are merely therapeutic and may arise from the potency of the power of suggestion. These trials are most often used in randomized control trials in investigating the effectiveness of a specific treatment. (Miller and Brody, 3) However, with the rise of the use of such trials, there have been many more questions raised. Are these placebo control trials indeed necessary? What ethical issues are raised with the implementation of placebo trials? The debates regarding the ethicality of placebo trials in investigative research continue to rage across the scientific community. The discussion has become so complex that the sides taken regarding the matter have evolved to more than just â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† to the question of placebo ethicality. There have been numerous aspects of placebo trials that have undergone the scrutiny of those directly involved with fields utilizing these trials. The main aim of this paper is to understand the obligations of medical practitioners who are employing placebo trials in their own scientific investigations of the effectiveness of various treatments. What ethical standards should these individuals, physicians and the like, take into consideration when conducting investigative researches with placebo trials? Glass and Waring The main problem with a physician’s utilization of placebo trials for investigative purposes is the fact that they are part of the profession that involves the assurance of optimal health for their patients. Some of the researchers and critics exploring the ethical holds on medical practitioners with regards to placebo trials have looked at it from a legal standpoint. Glass and Waring (582) indicate that they have foundâ€Å"no legal precedent allowing physicians to ‘opt out’ of their professional obligations because they are researchers in addition to being physicians†. It is emphasized that the physician must do all in his power in order to insure that the client receives all possible modes of treatment that would maintain or enhance his or her health. As a researcher, the physician is viewed as a fiduciary, a person delegated with power that will be used for the benefit of another person and who is held legally against the highest standards of conduct. The physician-researcher as a fiduciary, then, has a moral ascendancy over his or her patient-subject. (Glass and Waring, 578) This means that a placebo trial that would involve having the physician-researcher observe the null effect on the health of a patient-subject and at the same time have knowledge of the betterment of the health status of patient-subjects in the other experimental trials. (Glass and Waring 579) Thus physician’s are now ethically compromised and even legally liable for their utilization and continuation of the placebo trial. Knowing that there is a treatment that could improve the health of those in the placebo arm of the experiment but not applying that treatment on the participants in that arm indicates their sacrifice of the health of those participants for the scientific progress afforded by research data. The ethical responsibility of the physician-reseracher, therefore, is in the fact that clinical studies of treatment effectivity make use of participants who have been diagnosed with the specific medical condition hoped to be treated by the experiment’s procedure. Hawkins Hawkins (484) states that the true problem faced by physician-researchers is a moral one. The moral norms and societal dictates placed upon those in the medical profession involve the fact that they need to be able to give a sick person all the possible chances of being treated. However, Hawkins (484) points out that this moral responsibility is limited. She states clearly â€Å"researchers do not owe effective treatment to everyone around them. † (473) The obligations of a physician to his or her patient are enclosed within a given framework, that of the physician-patient relationship. In order for such a relationship to be established, the physician must come into agreement with the client that he or she will indeed act as one half of that relationship. The same agreement must be made on the part of the client. Although this agreement may not be explicit, it is nevertheless positively acknowledged by both parties. (Hawkins, 476) There is, according to Hawkins, no ethical dilemma in a physician-researcher’s use of placebo trials. Just because these researchers have had medical training and have taken a medical oath does not mean that they are always in the role of a physician. These are individuals that have many other different roles as fathers, mothers, non-practicing physicians, friends and the like. The role they take as a researcher, therefore, does not mean a continuation of their role as a physician. (Hawkins, 479) The obligations of an individual in the role of a researcher is separate from his or her role as a physician thus their obligation in placebo trials involves simple assurance that the participant will not be harmed by the procedure that will take place. Miller and Brody Some critics of placebo control trials state a weakness in therapeutic obligation of physician researchers as the main grounds of contestation of the ethical foundations of the said trials. Miller and Brody (8) state that even when based on the principles of clinical equipoise, an ethical basis of assigning participants in different experimental arms which involves disagreement among experts as to the effectiveness of either arm, therapeutic obligation is still a weak attack against the ethics of placebo trials. The individuals who knowingly participate in experiments with placebo arms are not exploited as long as no harm befalls them. Also, they are aware that they enter the experimental set-up as participants in a research and not as patients of the researchers who happen to also be physicians. (Miller and Brody, 5) Miller and Brody thus state that â€Å"placebo trials are not unethical just because they withhold proven effective treatment†. (6) It is thus seen that the responsibility and obligation of the researcher with regards to the ethicality of placebos is not in their therapeutic obligations as physicians. However, this does not mean that placebo trials are completely ethical. This also does not mean that researchers are devoid of ethical obligations to their participants assigned to placebo arms of the investigative experiments. The ethical obligation of the researcher in placebo trials is the same as that of researcher in any clinical trials. This involves the proper acquisition of informed consent from the participants. Also, researchers must be able to assure the fact that participants will not be exploited or put in harmful situations. Miller and Brody also insist that researchers must first establish that the investigation has scientific merit and that scientific merit is increased with the implementation of the placebo trial. (8) Analysis and Argument All three articles assessed above have merit and, at the same time, also have faults. Glass and Waring (582) stating that no legal precedents were found that indicated physicians were no longer tied to their professional obligations is faulty. In much the same way that a lawyer does not have to give counsel to every jaywalker he or she sees, the physician likewise does not have professional obligation over individual’s whose relationship to him is simply that which exists between researchers and participants. I also disagree with Hawkins’ statement that morality is what binds the physician thus the use of placebo trials is not unethical. What is ethics but a concept in the realm of morality? Yes, there are standards and regulations with regards to ethical conduct. However, as a whole, ethics is based on morality thus a moral problem is, in fact, an ethical problem. The middle ground taken by Miller and Brody also seems to be misled. A placebo trial is not equivalent to other clinical trials. It involves factors that are not present in other trials, such as the exposure of the participants to neutral treatment. In other clinical trials, there is still exposure to some form of treatment thus there is an effort to aid the participant. I believe, however, that physician-researcher’s obligations to the patient-participant, is limited solely to the relationship of researcher and participant. The role taken by the individual is not that of a physician but that of a researcher. The participants are also aware that they enter into the experiment not as patients but as participants. Although they are not given the chance to undergo possibly effective treatment, it is not the moral obligation of the researcher to insure that they do. Even if, for example, a person persists to smoke, I am not morally or ethically obligated to make sure that he or she stop. Placebo trials are valid research designs and should not be stopped simply because of a feeling that it is unfair to those who, in the first place, willingly submitted themselves to the experiment’s conditions. Works Cited Glass, Kathleen G. , and Waring, Duff. â€Å"The Physician/Investigator’s Obligation to Patients Participating in Research: The Case of Placebo Controlled Trials. † The Journal of Law, Medicine Ethics 33 (2005): 575-585 Hawkins, Jennifer S. â€Å"Justice and Placebo Controls. † Social Theory and Practice 32 (2006): 467- 496. Miller, Franklin G. , and Brody, Howard. â€Å"What Makes Placebo-controlled Trials Unethical? † The American Journal of Bioethics 2(2002): 3-9