Bioethics and Household Air Pollution

For my thesis project in Toxicology, I have spent a lot of time investigating the biological effects of exposure to biomass smoke from household fires used for cooking food and providing heat. Using human lung cells and animal models, I examine how biomass smoke causes inflammatory lung diseases and respiratory infections. Along with collecting and analyzing experimental data, I often read about the interdisciplinary factors that play a role in the global health issue of biomass smoke inhalation. Through my PhD research, I have learned about socioeconomic dynamics, gender disparities, and cultural traditions that contribute to the burning of biomass fuels, in addition to the immunological impacts of household air pollution on the lung.

           
In relation to the sociocultural aspects of biomass smoke exposure, I think about bioethical issues related to household air pollution research. Most people who use biomass fuels have a low socioeconomic status and live in developing countries, leading to philosophical considerations to use this vulnerable population as biomedical research subjects. It is important to remember historical ethical violations with similar groups of people, such as the 1940s experiments in Guatemala where individuals were intentionally and unknowingly given sexually transmitted infections.  Immoral actions from the past should not be repeated with household air pollution studies. Additionally, there is a concern for paternalistic views in aiding individuals cooking with biomass fuels. Multinational groups often attempt to reduce biomass smoke-related health problems in developing countries; however, similar to Ivan Illich’s speech about negative aspects of missions in Mexico, “To Hell with Good Intentions,” the efforts to “help” may contribute to the use of biomass fuels. For example, many people continue to use household fires after receiving a “cleaner” cookstove due to religious beliefs, taste and cooking preferences, or an inability to fix or repair a cookstove. As a global health disparity issue, household air pollution also relates to the bioethical principle of justice. Some would argue in terms of social justice, that biomass smoke-induced diseases need to be addressed by our global society since it is attributed to social inequality. Yet, based on equality and need, who should receive the limited resource of more efficient energy? Along with hypothesizing how biomass smoke impairs the biology of the lung, I often think about philosophical issues related to biomass smoke exposure.

My interest in the relationship between science and ethics stems from my undergraduate minor in Biomedical Humanities. Courses examining complicity, death and dying, biology in the media, and more helped me understand how social views influence policies in science, as well as how science communication can impact perceptions of the field. I remember simultaneously learning tissue culture techniques in Biochemistry while reading the story about Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells in “Genetics and Popular Culture.” This helped me understand both the scientific value of tissue culture for understanding the pathogenesis of diseases, as well as the importance of protecting the rights of human subjects in biomedical research. Furthermore, literature from these courses motivated me to pursue a PhD in Toxicology. A short story by Richard Selzer, “Luis,” made me want to prevent toxic exposures and cover-ups.  Briefly, the tale is about a trash dump scavenger who finds radioactive material and thinks it is a star, leading to the spread of radiation poisoning in a poor area of Brazil. This tragic tale brings up complex issues of culture, socioeconomic status, a history of inequality, as well as the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare professionals that lead to an environmental health problem. My previous experiences examining both the biological and social aspects of health problems shaped my interest in the interdisciplinary field of bioethics.