Public Health Ethics

Catalog description

Public Health Ethics will familiarize students with the tenets that apply to health care delivery, experimentation, research, and human behavior as guided by principles developed over time to apply to government oversight of public health. Many of these principles are the results of specific cases or phenomena that have arisen over time and led to social interventions as a result. The course will look at several seminal events and the ethical principles derived from them. In many cases, principles are still being debated and the lines between ethical and unethical behavior still being negotiated. We will examine the differences between morals, ethics, and laws. We will explore the consequences of violating them. As scientific research grows in size and complexity, new principles will be needed. Students will also demonstrate a sound sense of scholarship and research integrity (SARI) by participating in ongoing discussions about Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). How should these be formulated by concerned and caring individuals? The course will give some answers. Major topics will include moral reasoning, ethical decision-making frameworks, research integrity, and numerous case studies that highlight the interplay between ethics, law, and public health issues past, present, and future. The aims of this course include the education of public health leaders in applying ethical principles to public health issues, and enhancing decision making skills and capabilities that are necessary for creating an ethical approach to public health practice and research.