Reference no: EM132308749

Assignment: Ethics and Professional Issues

Answer each question in 100 words, must cite references and work must be original! Please use APA Formatting!

1. Can the APA Ethics Code assist psychologists in resolving ethical conflicts with conflicting organizational interests? Why or why not?

2. Which interests should predominate when conflicting interests occur? Why?

3. Psychologists and other medical professionals should take special precaution when working for or consulting with pharmaceutical companies to ensure that they are still upholding the ethical standards of the profession as opposed to being coerced to comply with unethical demands that a pharmaceutical may have to suit their own agendas. One example that is quite controversial is the case of Dr. Andrew Wakefield. The autism/vaccine debate was started by Dr. Wakefield, a British medical doctoral and researcher who specialized in autism. As an autism specialist, Dr. Wakefield saw many children for various medical conditions associated with autism. He began to notice that some, but not all, of the children's parents reported that they began noticing symptoms of autism shortly after their child received the MMR vaccine. Dr. Wakefield was employed by a pharmaceutical company at that time that was funding his research. This particular pharmaceutical company was in the process of creating a vaccine to compete with the current versions of the MMR vaccine. The final results of Dr. Wakefield's study stating that the MMR vaccine was causing autism was based on the results of 12 children who were his patients whose parents reported that their symptoms developed shortly after receiving the MMR vaccine.

The fact that Dr. Wakefield worked for the pharmaceutical company likely influenced his research because he was trying to find results that were beneficial to the company. What can psychologists and other doctors do to avoid situations such as this?

4. List one way a psychologist minimizes the ethical issues related to conducting a forensic assessment? What actions do the APA Ethics Code require? What possible challenges could you encounter?

5. List another way a psychologist minimizes the ethical issues related to conducting a forensic assessment? What actions do the APA Ethics Code require? What possible challenges could you encounter?

6. List an additional way a psychologist minimizes the ethical issues related to conducting a forensic assessment? What actions do the APA Ethics Code require? What possible challenges could you encounter?

7. Provide citation and reference to the material(s) you discuss. Describe what you found interesting regarding this topic, and why.

8. Describe how you will apply that learning in your daily life, including your work life.