Bioethics’s Hot Topic of Growth Hormones Essay -- Science Growth Hormo

Bioethics’s Hot Topic of Growth Hormones In the article â€Å"Does Shortness Need a Cure?† Ronald Bailey, the author, indicates Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of growth hormone use offers a treatment plan for those who are short in stature. Bailey also acknowledges bioethics as a seriously debated topic in the medical field. Bioethics deals with the studies of â€Å"moral issues in the fields of medical treatment and research† (Caplan). Bailey touches on the topic of bioethics as it deals with the use of growth hormones, specifically Human Growth Hormone (HGH) for people who are distinguished by their short stature. FDA Ruling and the Ethics Behind it In July of this year, the FDA announced growth hormones, traditionally reserved for people with growth disorders, will be made available for use by children who are naturally short (Bailey). According to Bailey, â€Å"pediatric endocrinologists are permitted to prescribe HGH for children whose predicted adult height is below 4 feet 11 inches for women and 5 feet 3 inches for men† (Bailey). HGH is not a new drug; it has been used for years and prescribed for those with growing disorders. The number of patients for whom the drug is prescribed is expected to increase because of the new FDA ruling. The FDA ruling states use of the drug is no longer just for those with growth disorders (Bailey). What is Normal? The perceived goal of children, or their parents, in Bailey’s article is to be of normal height at adulthood; but what is normal? The average height for American men is 5’9† and for women it is 5’4† (Bailey). According to Robert W. Steele, M.D., â€Å"alterations [in growth] may be in the form of a growth slow down, accelerated growth, or disproportionate grow... .... 2002-2003 http://bioethics.net/beginners/introduction.php HGHcompany.com. Human Growth Hormone. 5 November 2003. 2003 http://www.hghcompany.com/ Human Growth Foundation. Personal Testimony. 5 November 2003. 10 June 2003 http://www.hgfound.org/Testimony_sNDA.htm Short Persons Support. Children. 5 November 2003. 2002-2003 http://www.shortsupport.org/health/children/index.html Short Persons Support. Height Increase: Arguments Against. 5 November 2003. 2002- 2003 http://www.shortsupport.org/health/increase/arguements.html Steele, Robert. â€Å"Growth charts: Is your baby growing normally?† ParentsPlace.com 5 November 2003. 6 January 2002 http://www.parentsplace.com/babies/physical Steele, Robert. â€Å"Predicting how tall your child will be.† ParentsPlace.com 5 November 2003. 24 April 2001 http://www.parentsplace.com/babies/physical