Press Release

Press Release
This assignment responds to the film The Island (2005). You must watch the movie to complete the assignment. It may be available on streaming services such as Amazon, PlutoTV, or YouTube.

Background

Throughout the course, we have discussed the importance of framing an issue to tell a story, and

strategies that different stakeholders use to convince an audience of their viewpoint. Each side

has a story to tell: to convey factual details about a situation that occurred, but also convince the

audience of his own perspective and interests.

For this assignment, you are writing a fictional Press Release about the movie The Island. This

is a creative writing assignment. After Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta escape and free

the clones, you are writing a response about what happened in the laboratory and Dr. Merricks

research.

Position

You must adopt the assigned position.

Last name A-K: You are hired by Dr. Merrick and defending the Merrick Laboratory

Last Name L-Z: You are part of Public Citizen (a consumer advocacy group) commenting on

unethical practices at the lab

Topic

For the content, you will choose ONE of the topic areas:

1. Social Control

Merrick Laboratory: The agnates are scientific products and they are not human, but animal

organisms. To uphold safety for the agnates and the surrounding population, Merrick

Laboratories provided calm and soothing routines for the agnates safe development.

Public Citizen: Merrick Laboratory created human clones, and engineered compliance through

fear of external contamination and brainwashing.

2. Creating agnates/clones

Merrick Laboratory: Agnates provide a groundbreaking solution to organ shortage and insurance

policy against human frailty.

Public Citizen: Artificially creating human clones as a source of replacement body parts is

dehumanizing, and violates key ethical principles of

3. Surrogacy and alternative reproduction

Merrick Laboratory: Agnates provide an innovative solution to couples struggling with infertility

or pregnancy gestation, providing people with novel reproductive options to fit their lifestyle.

Public Citizen: Using clones as surrogates or for reproduction reduces them to machines or

products, violating the ethical principles of

PHC 4931 Health Care Ethics

Professor Drabiak

kdrabiak@usf.edu

4. Justifying scientific research

Merrick Laboratory: Scientists and physicians have a duty to conduct pioneering research to solve

pressing medical problems such as organ shortages and extend human life using novel synthetic

organisms. Complicity in permitting agnates to escape the laboratory will hinder advancing

lifesaving treatments and endanger the public.

Public Citizen: Merrick Laboratory violated key ethical tenets in creating human clones, and the

Department of Defense should cease funding and issue sanctions to deter this unacceptable line of

research.

Format Details

Title

o Frame the topic, use your words wisely to grab attention

Opening 1-2 paragraphs

o This should explain the Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

o 1st paragraph: why is this news now?

o 2nd paragraph: what is the background behind this story?

Middle

o What are the main issues this raises?

o Take on the role you are adopting. What is the narrative you want readers to have about

what happened?

o You can include a fictional quote that represents the viewpoint of an expert on the

topic. Since this is a creative writing assignment, you may make up a quote by a fictional

expert.

End

o Call to action. What should the readers take away from this? What should happen to the

lab? Or, where are the clones and what happens with them?

Citation Style

o Press Releases do not use standard citation style. No citations required. (In real Press

Releases, citations would likely use hyperlinks to news content, stories, and sources.)

Length: 300 words (text only)

If length exceeds 310 words, this will result in point deductions.

Many writing assignments in professional settings have strict word count caps, so writing with

clarity and precision is part of the exercise of this assignment.

WRITE MY PAPER