Grappling with the Gray

Are you ethical? Only by investigating all sides and contemplating every angle can we improve ethical decision-making, build more trusting relationships, and help create a more ethical world. Join our panel of leaders and thinkers as we grapple with a new ethical challenge each week.

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Grappling with the Gray

Grappling with the Gray #24: Pull the Plug?

November 07, 2022 • Yonason Goldson

Few things in life are black and white. That’s why we have to learn to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is today’s ethics challenge:

A medical supply company creates a surgical implant designed to stop seizures in patients with epilepsy and similar conditions. In beta testing, the implant proves effective in only 15% of patients, but for those patients it is a miracle cure.

However, because of the low success rate, it is not economically viable for the company to produce or market the device. Moreover, the company does not want the expense of maintaining the software system that monitors and regulates the implant. By disabling the system, those trial patients whose seizures have been eliminated will likely face the return of their symptoms, possibly worse than they were before.

Does the company have an ethical obligation to maintain the software?

Meet this week's panelists:

Mark Brown, Certified Speaking Professional, is an executive coach and World Champion of Speaking.

Lisa Nichols is CEO of Technology Partners, an award-winning, certified Women Business Enterprise, and host of the Something Extra podcast.

Robert Zafft is an Ethics Keynote Speaker, Executive Leadership coach, Corporate trainer, and author of The Right Way to Win.