Hypothetical scenario essay

  Considers the following scenario: Human ovine flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a new strain of influenza virus. It comes from a strain of the virus found in sheep. Symptoms of human ovine flu include a fever cough, sore throat, aches and tiredness. Human swine flu is also known as human ovine influenza, and is very different from the human influenza A previously circulating. It has caused the most significant flu pandemic in 50 years. Cases of human ovine flu have been confirmed in countries throughout the world including Australia. Despite some deaths in Victoria, the majority of cases of human ovine flu have so far been mild and can be compared to the normal seasonal flu. Most people recover without any medical treatment. However, like seasonal flu, human swine flu may make underlying chronic medical conditions worse in vulnerable people. The current flu vaccines do not appear to be effective in preventing or treating ovine flu. Your research team has developed a vaccine for a communicable disease similar to ovine flu and it has undergone clinical trial testing and evaluation but only in healthy adult populations. You know that one of the groups most seriously impacted during the outbreak was pregnant women. You would like to test your drug in pregnant women as soon as possible. You received HREC approval to test your vaccine in pregnant women but are having difficulty recruiting participants so your study has stalled. The elderly is another group with high morbidity and mortality from communicable diseases such as the flu and could also benefit from your new vaccine. You think you will have an easier time finding participants in this population because a friend of yours works as a nurse practitioner at a nursing home. Flu is a significant risk in a nursing home, where it can spread rapidly and has a high mortality rate. She believes the best interests of the patients would be served by protecting against this particular strain. She has agreed to help you recruit participants from her facility and explain to participants the risks associated with research participation. For example, it is likely that because of their co-morbidities, the elderly may have a more severe reaction to the vaccine, and there is also greater potential for mortality related to receiving the vaccine. It can be difficult to contact the next of kin of some inhabitants of the nursing home. Many of their relatives have left medical authorities with the nursing home for the residents. Write an essay that considers the scenario above in light of the understanding of good research practice