Learning scenarios from NYU Langone’s High School Bioethics Project are basic resources that teachers can use to supplement their curricula. Some are short case vignettes, while others include background material, discussion questions, multimedia selections, and suggestions for further reading.

Ethics and the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

We do not currently have a vaccine to prevent any other cancer, yet the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine continues to remain cloaked in debate among politicians, parents, and health policy advisors. Learn more about public health ethical contexts surrounding the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Genetically Modified Organisms: The Golden Rice Debate

Golden rice is a genetically modified, biofortified crop created to alleviate malnutrition in developing countries. Some say the project is deeply flawed, even after 24 years of research and billions of dollars spent, while supporters claim its public health benefit outweighs any risks. Learn more about unanswered questions and ethical concerns created by golden rice.

Head to Head: The NFL and Brain Injury

Does risk for serious brain injury partly define football, and can rules that protect players from concussions also maintain the game’s essence? An analysis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and tau protein, as well as trends in biomedical research involving CTE and the National Football League (NFL), urges us to explore ethical questions about safety, risk, and health policy for football players at all levels.

Medicalization: Scientific Progress or Disease Mongering?

Medicalization, the process in which normal health variants are labeled and treated as pathological states, has been partly attributed to the rapid advancement of science in the last 30 years. However, it has raised patient safety, discrimination, and recreational drug use concerns. Learn more about ethical and sociological issues raised by medicalization.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment with Psychedelic Drugs

New evidence shows that the chemical psilocybin, found in psychedelic drugs often used recreationally, might become a new therapeutic tool in psychiatric treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Learn more about psilocybin and the ethical implications of using psychedelic drugs to treat PTSD.

Risk, Ethics, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

The importance of minimizing risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases cannot be understated, but patient compliance issues prevail. Explore the ethical questions raised by the real-life practice of expedited partner therapy.

Sex Balance in Biomedical Research

Women have historically been underrepresented in biomedical research. What are the reasons for this, and how can researchers address the overall health consequences of their exclusion? Learn more about sex balance in biomedical research.

Gene Therapy and the Case of Jesse Gelsinger

Back in the 1970s, scientists started dreaming up new ways to treat people who have genetic diseases, paving the way for the first gene therapy experiments in the early 1990s. The case of Jesse Gelsinger examines fundamental ethical issues of subject selection, informed consent, and conflict of interest.