What is Your Drive? Science or Ethics?
Frank Golden was an undergraduate, working on the
finishing touches of his biology degree. He planned to
continue his education in a doctoral program and wanted to
further his knowledge in his area, immunobiology. Frank's
university was associated with one of the eight main primate
facilities in the United States. He felt that if he could
secure a position with the facility it would help his chances
when applying to graduate school the following year. Soon
after graduation, Frank was hired as an animal care
provider/technician and was assigned to the main facility
where HIV research was conducted on chimpanzees.
Frank was assigned to be the care provider for a
chimpanzee named Vern. Vern was infected with HIV by
researchers eight years before Frank began working at the
facility. Throughout that time, even though chimpanzees are
known to be social animals, Vern was housed alone, so he
would not infect other chimpanzees. Soon after Frank arrived,
Vern began showing symptoms of the virus. As a result the
facility determined that Vern had developed AIDS. He was the
first chimpanzee said to have developed the fatal
disease.
During his time at the research facility, Frank became
quite attached to Vern and realized how similar apes are to
humans (Byrne, 1997; Fouts, 1997). He witnessed Vern's
debilitation from the pain of the disease and his endless
days of suffering without relief. During the last
excruciating months of Vern's life, it was obvious to many
that he could only be comforted by his friend, Frank.
Frank's feelings and interests changed. He decided he no
longer wanted to pursue a graduate career in this field, but
he kept his position until Vern's death. One day, Frank was
asked to assist in a procedure that would infect another
young, healthy chimpanzee with HIV. Frank followed through
with the request so he would not lose his job. He desperately
wanted to stop the procedure because he was aware of the
suffering Vern had endured. He watched as the virus was
injected into the healthy chimpanzee.
Discussion Questions
- Do you think Frank's response to the dilemma was
appropriate? Why or why not?
- In regard to Frank's change in attitude, is there an
alternative solution that would satisfy both his desire to
stay with Vern and to not participate in this type of
research?
- What are the benefits in allowing the research to
proceed? For Frank? For the research facility? For
chimpanzees (and other nonhuman animals)? For society?
- What potential harm is there in allowing the research
to continue? For Frank? For the research facility? For
chimpanzees (and other nonhuman animals)? For society?
- What are the obligations of the research facility? To
Frank? To themselves? To the chimpanzees (and other
non-human animals)? To society?
- Given the heated debate regarding the similarities of
cognitive capabilities between chimpanzees and human,
should we start weighing the costs and benefits of the
research for the chimpanzee? Why or why not?
- Do you feel that the chimpanzee should be considered a
participant/subject in the research? If so, what
implications would this model have for research?