Not Enough for Everyone
Overview
Students investigate the importance of anti-viral medications in the treatment of a deadly viral disease. They consider complex social and medical issues when they have to decide who should get the limited supplies of anti-viral medicine in a fictional epidemic of an infectious disease.
Learning Objectives
To better understand how anti-viral medications work to fight viral infections and the issues surrounding a limited supply of important medicine, the students should be able to:
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Describe the structure of a virus.
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Explain how anti-viral medications fight disease.
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Discuss the personal, social, ethical and cultural factors that may influence who gets a limited supply of medicine.
Scenario
Your town has been fighting the deadly
epidemic now or over a year. Many people
have been infected by a new virus that is still
barely under control.
Finally, there seems to be a promising treatment that could save lives. A new anti-viral medicine could successfully interfere with how the virus multiplies in human cells. This is a major discovery which could finally mean less severe disease and shorter illness times.
Unfortunately, there won’t be enough of the new medicine for everyone who may get sick. You know this is a major step forward in treating the people in your town. But, then you find out that your community will receive some doses of the new medicine but not enough for everyone who may be sick.
As the public health officer in your county, your health experts together with other medical experts in your town must decide how to distribute the new medicine. You know you have to make careful, fair decisions and you want to get input from other experts in the community.
You have been asked to be on a committee to investigate the issues involved in the distribution and use of the anti-viral medicine. You are to report your findings to the town council and hospital administrations. Your committee will play an important role in helping the people of your community who are stricken with this disease.
After hearing from your committee, a decision will be made. You must help decide who will get the anti-viral medicine.
Your Tasks
● Find out how anti-virals work to fight disease.
You should be prepared to answer questions from the audience about why anti-viral medicines are an important tool to fight this deadly disease.
● Decide who should get the limited supplies of anti-virals first and also decide what groups of people should receive the medicine next.
You know you have to find the answers quickly and accurately. You will include your committee’s decision in your presentation at the town meeting and will be answering questions not only from the medical community but the general public as well. Your work will go a long way to treating this disease in your community.
Be prepared to defend your committee’s position and answer questions from the audience at the town meeting.
Guiding Questions
1) How do anti-viral medications work to
fight viral diseases?
Be prepared to answer questions from
the general public about the importance of
anti-viral medications in treating serious viral
illnesses.
How do anti-viral medications work to combat viruses. Explain the structure of viruses that allows this to happen.
2) Think about groups of people who you will consider for receiving anti-viral medications.
These infected patients may include:
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Young children
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Adolescents
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Elderly people
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Vulnerable populations such as those with chronic (long-lasting) health conditions
Make your own list of people you will consider for treatment. You can use some of the people listed above, but your committee’s list should include other groups you want to consider.
3) As a class, decide on what people will be immunized against the disease. Was the class decision different from your committee’s decision? Explain.
Support material for this module includes:
What are Anti-viral Medicines?
Internet Resources-Anti-viral Medicine
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