CHB5204 - Bioethics, Public Policy, and the Law

Leader: Justin Oakley

Offered

Clayton First semester 2007 (Off-campus)
Clayton Second semester 2007 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2007 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit provides a framework for analysing and evaluating public policy and law in areas of concern in bioethics. The unit focuses initially on what values the state ought to promote, and the formulation of public policy in democratic pluralist societies. These political moralities are then used to examine current law and public policy in areas of bioethical concern, such as abortion, prenatal diagnosis, embryonic stem cell research, reproductive cloning, surrogate motherhood, voluntary euthanasia, and the treatment of severely handicapped newborn infants. The unit also considers law and public policy in relation to informed consent, and the regulation of research on humans.

Objectives

On successful completion of CHB5204 students should have acquired the skills to:

• uncover the political values underlying views about State regulation of various reproductive and health care practices
• think critically about those political values
• understand some of the practical problems in State regulation of various reproductive and health care practices
• develop sufficient understanding of the ethics of regulating various reproductive and health care practices to provide a basis for forming your own views on these matters.

Assessment

Essay (3000 words) : 30%
Essay (3000 words) : 30%
Take-home exam (3000 words) : 40%
Off-campus students are also required to keep a journal, recording their work for each topic.

Contact hours

two hours/week

Prerequisites

CHB5101 or equivalent

Prohibitions

CHB5204 and CHB5255; CHB5204 and CHB4204