Charting A Path Forward

Since the 1970s, the United States has had a succession of national advisory bodies to provide Congress or the President with expert advice on topics related to bioethics. As science and technology continues to develop with increasing speed, many are wondering: what does the future hold for national bioethics advisory bodies? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Daniel Sulmasy and Prof. Alex Capron, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's reflections on the past, present and future of bioethics advisory bodies.

Each of us in our lifetime will face tough choices about our health, the health of a loved one, or the health of our community. Sometimes there are no clear right or wrong answers. So how do we tackle these ethical dilemmas? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with the chair of the Bioethics Commission Dr. Amy Gutmann and Dr. Lisa M. Lee, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Bioethics for Every Generation: Deliberation and Education in Health, Science, and Technology.

In the 1940s, US researchers in Guatemala exposed prisoners, psychiatric patients, soldiers and sex workers to sexually transmitted diseases, without their consent. Did the researchers intentionally flaunt the ethical standards of the day? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Anita Allen and Dr. Paul Lombardo, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Ethically Impossible: STD Research in Guatemala from 1946 to 1948.

Advances in medicine just wouldn’t be possible without the people who volunteer to participate in research studies. But how can we be sure that people who enroll in research are treated ethically? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Nita Farahany and Dr. Jerry Menikoff, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Moral Science: Protecting Participants in Human Subjects Research.

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but synthetic biology is becoming more and more commonplace. And as it becomes more commonplace, so do concerns about how we use it responsibly. How should we safeguard against these possible risks? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with the vice-chair of the Bioethics Commission Dr. James Wagner and Eleonore Pawuels, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report New Directions: The Ethics of Synthetic Biology and Emerging Technologies.

As neuroscience research ramps up, and scientists unlock more and more of the brain’s secrets, how can we be sure these insights are sought and used in responsible ways? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Stephen Hauser and Dr. Stephen Morse, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report, Gray Matters: Topics at the Intersection of Neuroscience, Ethics, and Society.

Whole genome sequencing unlocks our genetic makeup, and with it the promise of new treatments and cures. But how can we best protect our most personal data while still realizing its enormous medical potential? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Anita Allen and Retta Beery, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Privacy and Progress in Whole Genome Sequencing.

As healthcare workers returned home in 2014 and 2015 from fighting the Ebola epidemic in western Africa, actions by state governments to prevent potential spread of the disease ran the gamut—from mandatory monitoring to travel bans and quarantine. These measures raised the question: is the nation prepared to ethically respond to public health emergencies? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Barbara Atkinson and Dr. Trish Henwood, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Ethics and Ebola: Public Health Planning and Response.

As healthcare workers returned home in 2014 and 2015 from fighting the Ebola epidemic in western Africa, actions by state governments to prevent potential spread of the disease ran the gamut—from mandatory monitoring to travel bans and quarantine. These measures raised the question: is the nation prepared to ethically respond to public health emergencies? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Dr. Barbara Atkinson and Dr. Trish Henwood, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Ethics and Ebola: Public Health Planning and Response.

We can all agree that the safety of our children is paramount. How can we best protect children in the event of a bioterror attack? In this episode of Ethically Sound, host Hillary Wicai Viers talks with Bioethics Commission member Col. Nelson Michael and Dr. Suzet McKinney, and discusses the Bioethics Commission's report Safeguarding Children: Pediatric Medical Countermeasure Research.