Essay On Breaking Protocol

Despite the clear facts that the oncologist would be breaking protocol, benefits for both parties could arise from giving this drug to his patient. First, if indeed the drug has the effect on the girl that the researcher believes it will as she has the same genetic mutation in her tumor that responded in the rat model, then that could be a breakthrough for his project. Having high success early on could result in more funding and grants for the continuation of the trials as well as more publications. However, it is statistically unlikely that this will occur since the “average rate of successful translation from animal models to clinical cancer trials is less than 8%” (Mak, I., 2014). For the patient, it could mean getting closer to a cure or a time of remission from cancer. This is quite possibly on of the hardest parts of being a clinician: having to tell your patients that they cannot have the drug. In this case, it may be even more personal since the parents of the oncologist are both PhD researchers and close friends. It brings up the …show more content…
Not only does it harm the individual patient, but it also places distress on whole trial, therefore endangering all the other participants as well as those conducting the research. It can be difficult to judge what is morally or ethically correct in some situations; however, if one has a well-rounded understanding of the rules and ramifications of research they will have an easier time determining the proper course of action. Working in the medical profession can be incredibly difficult as one could face several ethical dilemmas in any given day. What is important is that one remembers to place the values of medicine, the patient, and the overall well-being of the people in front of any potential personal gain. By being a doctor for the people instead of a doctor for fame, one will be not only successful but also