Exploring Bioethics - NIH Office of Science Education - National ...

5. Divide students into pairs, and ask them to discuss the ideas aboutfairness they recorded in their homework (on Master 2.10). Givethem 3 to 5 minutes for this step.16. Reconvene the class. Use the following story and questions aboutBob to engage students in a discussion of fairness.Bob and three of his friends rent a car and go driving. They run out of gas.To get to a gas station, two people must push the car and one person must steer.Bob knows that it takes only two people to push the car, so he decides to relaxin the back seat while the others push and steer the car to the gas station.• Is it fair for Bob to opt out of helping his friends get the car to thegas station?• Suppose Bob has a broken foot, which makes it difficult for him topush or steer the car (since he cannot fit in the driver’s seat with hiscast). Is it fair for Bob to opt out of helping his friends get the car tothe gas station?7. Ask students, “How fair is it for someone to benefit from theprotective effect of community immunity if he or she has chosennot to assume any risks of vaccination?” Ask how the Bob storyis similar to or different from the scenario in which someone whohas not been vaccinated receives that protective effect.Students should see that in both cases, the individual benefits from theactions of others yet assumes few risks (individuals who are not vaccinatedstill run the risk of getting the disease, though the risk is much lower whencommunity immunity is achieved). In both cases, individuals may havestronger or weaker reasons for “opting out.” In the case of communityimmunity, a whole community may be put at risk, whereas in Bob’s case,only he and his friends are involved. Students may have other ideas as well.8. Have the pairs share the ideas they just discussed with the wholeclass, and ask students to record the main ideas under “Fairness”on Master 2.7.9. Give each student a copy of Master 2.11: Opting Out of aVaccine—Variables to Consider, and briefly review the fivevariables and the smallpox example.The variables on Master 2.11 are scientific ones. Others to consider, suchas religious background and beliefs, are not addressed on the master.234510. Remind students that these variables were introduced onDay 1 and that students will now explore the implications of thesevariables for issues of fairness. Ask students, “Are some reasonsfor wanting to opt out of a vaccine more acceptable than others?”Module 2 2-256