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Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Chern, Founders of Code of Cures BioEthics Blog In the early 1960s, at a time when the world was experiencing mass atrocities from the Nazi, Stanley Milgram sought to answer a chilling question: How far would ordinary people go when told to obey?  He conducted his experiments, known as the Milgram experiment, to explore the extent to which individuals would follow orders from an authority figure, even to the point of inflicting pain on others

Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, Founders of Code of Cures Image by CBS News The Monster Study, conducted by Wendell Johnson in 1939, was a non-consensual experiment performed on 22 orphan children in Davenport, Iowa, to understand stuttering. The study remained unpublished until a 2001 article revealed the controversial details and the lasting effects it had on a former test subject. The revelation led to a lawsuit where $925,000 were awarded to each test subject. 

Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, Code Of Cures Founders Image from John B. Watson’s Little Albert Experiment The Little Albert study, conducted in 1920 by psychologist John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner, explored how human emotions could be conditioned in infants–the concept of emotional conditioning. The study aimed to determine whether a stimulus that h ad a neutral reaction–such as a white rat–could evoke fear in a child when paired with a loud, frightening sound.

Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, Founders of Code of Cures Bioethics Blog Image by https://prismreports.org/2023/05/15/philadelphia-holmesburg-prison-experiments/   Introduction Dr. Albert M. Kligman from the University of Pennsylvania was a prominent yet deeply controversial dermatologist. He was a highly influential figure in the field, publishing over 1,000 scientific papers and contributing to more than 20 textbooks. Kligman is best known for his role in discover

Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, Founders of Code of Cures Bioethics Blog In 2000, conjoined twins named Jodie and Mary were born in Manchester, England. Joined at the abdomen and pelvis, doctors determined that Mary, the weaker twin, had no functioning lungs and a poorly developed heart; her life depended on oxygenated blood pumped through Jodie. Without separation, doctors believed both girls would die soon. However, through a separation operation, Jodie would be a

By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by  https://southernliveoakwellness.com/lobotomy-to-tms-how-science-evolved-to-treat-mental-health-ethically/ Once viewed as a groundbreaking Nobel Prize treatment for mental health, lobotomies are now regarded as one of the most controversial and horrific medical procedures in history. What went wrong? What is a Lobotomy? A lobotomy is a surgical procedure that involves the severing of the nerve pathways in the bra

By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://www.achievetestprep.com/blog/creative-ways-nurses-celebrate-the-holidays-at-work The holidays mark a season for shared traditions, family, and cozy feasts. Yet while much of the world slows to celebrate togetherness, healthcare does not pause. The holiday season sharpens ethical challenges that are already embedded, as care becomes especially visible and emotional during this time. Examining healthcare du

Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://www.history.com/articles/the-infamous-40-year-tuskegee-study What is the Tuskegee Syphilis Study? From 1932-1972, this study was conducted by the U.S Public Health Service in partnership with the Tuskegee Institute to observe the natural progression of untreated syphilis in Black men, prioritizing data collection over patient welfare. 600 poor Black sharecroppers, 399 with syphilis and 201 without

Remembering Henrietta Lacks and her Major Contributions to Science Written by Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old Black American woman, died in 1951 from cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Although her life was cut short, her legacy lives on through the research-fueling line of cells, known as HeLa cells. During her treatment, researchers took samples of Henrietta Lacks’ tumour without her consent. Her cells were then dis

By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://www.witcherytours.com/blog/2023/09/07/35-years-bit-burke   Early medical knowledge originated from animal dissection and the study of human bones, although these methods were limited by significant drawbacks. It gave a limited view of human anatomy and physiology. Direct evidence about human autonomy finally emerged when Greek physicians in Alexandria, Egypt, began dissecting the bodies of criminals. Howe

What’s the difference between CRISPR Gene editing for treating disease and enhancement? How can designer babies create genetic inequality? By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://dc.alumni.columbia.edu/designingbabies On May 15, 2025, a historic medical breakthrough took place: the first infant to receive successful gene therapy. An infant, who was diagnosed with carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 deficiency, was treated with a customized therapy

Pros and Cons? How do we limit these practices? By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://www.scienceadvancement.org/reflections/exposing-the-gaps-how-the-3rs-fail-to-protect-animals-in-research/ Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing , is the use of animals as model organisms in experiments that seek answers to scientific and medical questions. From lifesaving vaccines to skincare products, the

By: Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students How can ending a life be legal and morally just? This haunting question lies in the hearts of one of medicine’s largest ethical debates: assisted dying. Also known as medical physician-assisted suicide, where a physician administers the lethal dose to a consenting patient, ​​the practice allows terminally ill patients to choose to end their lives on their own terms. ​ The concept of physician-assisted death has been deba

By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Image by https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/nation/2021/10/29/protestors-rally-against-vaccine-mandates/6192210001/ Following the development of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, the Biden administration enacted a series of vaccine mandates that applied to mostly federal workers and contractors, large employers, and health care workers (HCWs) (Sanchez, 2022). Soon after, many cities implemented their own measures t

By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students Nobel-Winning Discovery For years, scientists had a simple understanding of immune...

Should they resuscitate by default? Will they get sued? By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School Students A Do Not Resuscitate...

How can healthcare professionals balance skepticism within their patients’ healthcare? By Crystal Kong and Chloe Cherng, High School...

Could legal organ sales in hospitals solve shortages, or would it create deeper inequalities? Would turning organ donation into a...

If a mistake occurs, should the blame fall on the surgeon, the manufacturer, or the robot itself? What’s a patient's decision-making...

When profit overshadows patient care, can cosmetic surgery still be considered a true practice of medicine? Published September 5, 2025...