Ethics at Life’s Edges

This unit examines ethically fraught decisions at the beginning and end of life and the conduct of clinical research. Students analyze controversies surrounding abortion, clinical definitions of death, patient rights in end-of-life care, and the historical and regulatory evolution of ethical clinical trials to prepare for applied ethics in patient care and research.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze competing ethical frameworks, professional guidelines, and relevant California legal considerations when evaluating abortion-related case studies and policy positions
• Evaluate clinical criteria and ethical implications for determining death (e.g., brain death versus circulatory death) and apply protocols to realistic patient scenarios
• Apply ethical principles and California advance care planning regulations to develop patient-centered end-of-life care plans that address palliative care, advance directives, DNR orders, and assisted-dying considerations where applicable
• Design and critique key components of an ethical clinical trial protocol—including informed consent processes, risk-benefit analysis, participant protections, and post-trial obligations—using historical case studies and current regulatory standards