Essey

Before the advent of technology, early scientists were at a loss on how to understand and interpret why a person may like a certain fruit but dislikeanother or why a certain individual would act differently than another in similar situations. To answer their questions, they settled for experiments that required long-term observation of the subject and analysis of whatever aspect of the subject was accessible to them. As technology evolved, however, experiments became more advanced. In fact, in their desire to fully comprehend the individual society began to question the ethics behind some of the experiments. One hypothetical experiment making waves on the Internet is the idea of taking brain samples from living individuals. Some individuals, including myself, believe it is not a good thing.
Brain sampling is an experiment wherein scientists get a piece of an individual’s brain. Indeed, the procedure has helped in certain scientific discoveries and is common practice the medical world. In the early 1900s, researchers got brain samples of Chamorros who died of an unknown neurodegenerative disease and discovered that an environmental toxin was in the contaminated water throughout North America and the world. (Quick, S. and Fauber, J.) Most pathology studies on multiple sclerosis depends human brain tissue of dead individuals. (Adams, C. W.)
It is noticeable that the subjects involved in the procedures above-mentioned were all deceased. What is disturbing in the hypothetical experiment is the fact that the subject is still alive. This has been a controversial issue in the field of medicine and science. There are people in society who do not look favorably on using living individuals as subjects in experiments even if the process would help in advancing scientific studies. This is reminiscent of the experiments done during the Second World War. (Farmer, A., n. d.) The World Medical Association came up with the Declaration of Helsinki to safeguard against human experimentation because there was no accepted code of conduct to guide these kinds of studies. (Shamoo, A. & Irving, D., 1993)
I believe that brain sampling using a living person is unethical. I recognize that trials should be done on humans because only then can scientists know if their discoveries would have the same effect and benefit on people as on animals. Some people believe there are justified reasons in using humans for research. (Human) On the other hand, I am of the mind that technology has advanced enough that scientists may be able to find another way of executing their experiments without using living persons. Scientists find ways to help prolong or better the lives of people. I think they should not put these people’s lives at risk by using the latter for tests because if at any point an experiment should go wrong their duty to help the people is compromised. Any negative effect that will happen would be suffered by the human subject.
References:
Adams, C. W. (1989) Gross pathology and distribution of MS lesions. In: Adams CW (Ed.), A colour atlas of multiple sclerosis and other myelin disorders. (p. 105–29). London: Wolfe Medical Publications.
Farmer, A. (n. d.) A Lack of Ethics in Scientific Experiments Today. Retrieved from http://flionline. org/index. php/component/content/article/41-top-headlines/250-a-lack-of-ethics-in-scientific-experiments-today-. html
Human and Animal Experimentation. (n. d.) Retrieved from http://www. wutsamada. com/alma/medethic/mappes4. htm
Shamoo, A. & Irving, D. (1993). “ Accountability in research using persons with mental illness.”
Accountability in Research 3 (1): 1-17. doi: 10. 1080/08989629308573826
Quick, S. and Fauber, J. (n. d.) Brain toxin found in algae in water. http://brainbank. med. miami. edu/x63. xml