A NOTE ABOUT CASE STUDIES FOR THE CLASSROOM
The following are helpful for introducing real-life ethics situations to
students. These case studies are designed for teaching purposes, to help
students develop critical responses to ethical issues, taking into account a
multitude of viewpoints. Please feel free to use these case studies in your
classrooms, or modify as necessary for your purposes. Please give credit
where credit is due.
If you would like to contribute your own case studies, or significant
revisions to posted cases, please contact the Bioethics Program at
bioeth1@iastate.edu
The following categories are not mutually exclusive. Case Studies may have
more than one area of relevance.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHING CASE STUDIES
Constructing Case Studies
The following is a creative component, published with permission, of a
Master of Science in Bioethics program graduate.
A Case Study Method for Teaching Bioethics
Sarah Heuer
NATURAL RESOURCE/ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES
What are the advantages and disadvantages to the development of ANWR oil reserves?
Critical Feed Use on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Land
AGRICULTURE & BIOTECHNOLOGY CASE STUDIES
Labeling Genetically Modified (GM) Foods
Oregon Measure 27: Labeling GM Foods
ANIMAL CASE STUDIES
California State Proposition 2: Standards for Confining Farm Animals
MEDICAL & BIOTECHNOLOGY CASE STUDIES
Female Circumcision and Kenyan Law
Genetic Testing vs. Individual Privacy
The Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA)
Stem Cell Research
*previous case study on stem cell research may still be accessed from:
http://www.bioethics.iastate.edu/classroom/stemcells.html
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL CASE STUDIES
TOPICS AND RESOURCES FOR CASE STUDIES
Hybrid Corn
Four Case Studies, vegetarianism, farm animal production, and hunting
Marine Mammal Protection and Management
Reintroduction of the Gray Wolf into Yellowstone
Responding to the Risks Presented by the Presence of Bovine Tuberculosis in
Wild Deer
Cases on animal rights/animal welfare
developed by Gary Varner, Texas A&M University
Two Case Studies,
egg machines and pigs with human genes
Whose Summer Home is It?, ecological preservation
Mars Exploration, risk to potential life on another planet
Case Studies in Organ Transplantation, using human cells and animal organs
Edible Vaccines, ethical issues surrounding vaccines in food
Trait Protection, intellectual property of genetic traits
Lost in the Maize, communicating about GM vs. non-GM with neighbors
The Neighbors, a case study about neighbors communicating about planting organic and GMO crops
Marine Mammal Protection and Management, issues surrounding environmental and animal rights issues
Pfiestria Piscicida, fish kills
Pfiestria Hysteria, a second look at fish kills
Deliberate Extinction?, eliminating the last vials of the eradicated smallpox virus
Orphan Embryos, using surplus embryos for stem cell research
Whose Property Are They?, unused embryos and research
Rare Plants, protecting natural traits of endangered plants
Pitcher Plants, protecting an endangered species
Valley of Sorrow, breaking confidentiality to save lives
Plagiarism, writing and illegal/unethical use of others' words
Publish or Perish, collaboration and printing research articles
Feral Cats, ethics associated with trapping and neutering feral cats
Euthanasia in Veterinary Medicine
El Maizal MG, el comunicarse sobre organismos gentico modificados con sus vecinos (traducido a espaol)
Extino Deliberada?, eliminando os ltimos vials do vrus do smallpox (verso portuguese original)
Tres Casos para la Discusion (traducido a espaol)
Tres Casos para Discusso (traduzido no portugues)