This week as we examine how microbes can cause so many terrible diseases, it is helpful to see the application of what you now understand about these different ways that humans, as the host, can be infected and compromised by so many different types of microorganisms.
Think about how the organism’s impact on our society and the people of the world. The current pandemic of the disease we know as COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 is a perfect example. Vaccines were developed in record time but still had to go through human trials before being used on everyone.
Thousands of people around the world volunteered to be test subjects for these new vaccines. Without the test subjects, the vaccines would never have been available. This is true for all the medications we use today. Somewhere in the past people volunteered to try these new drugs and vaccines.
In this discussion, we’re going to explore both the benefits and potential risks associated with volunteering for medical research and its impact on your willingness to personally participate in a a hypothetical research experiment.
One thing to keep in mind, not everyone involved in a clinical trial receives the new drug or vaccine. There also has to be a control group who believe they are receiving the drug or vaccine, but do not.
Pre-step:
Make sure you’ve read the assigned chapters from our Microbiology eBook.
Step 1: Consider the prompt
If you were to be told you had a unique metabolism and would be vital to a research study…
Would you volunteer as a test subject in research on a vaccine or drug that could potentially save millions of lives?
The researchers assure you that you will be well cared for and will experience no long-term threats to your health (at least as far as they know from studies in mice).
Consistent with testing protocols, however, you won’t know if you are part of the control or the experimental (AKA, test or treatment) group.
What specific disease or condition would you consider being worth the potential risk to your health for you to participate?
Or is there no disease/condition that would make you willing to participate? Explain.
How would you justify your decision to participate or not in the study to your family and friends?
Now imagine you’re 65 years old (but in good health)—does this alter your thinking? Explain how and why.
If it doesn’t alter your thinking, is there an age where it would?
Step 2: Post your reply to the forum
Addressing the questions above in a post of 250+ words that incorporates information from at least 2 resources.
Be sure to cite, APA-style, any references you leveraged in completing your reply.
Initial posts are due by Thursday, 11:59 PM ET
