Bioethics, Stem Cells, and Cloning

What Is Bioethics?

"Biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that sets a system of medical and environmental priorities for acceptable survival." - Van Rensselaer Potter, Global Bioethics: Building on the Leopold Legacy (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1988)

"A branch of applied ethics that studies the philosophical, social, and legal issues arising in medicine and the life sciences. It is chiefly concerned with human life and well-being, though it sometimes also treats ethical questions relating to the nonhuman biological environment." - Encyclopedia Brittanica 

Resources: Bioethics

• Bioethics.net - Comprehensive bioethics site founded in 1993 and run by the University of Pennsylvania. The site houses The American Journal of Bioethics.
• Kennedy Institute of Bioethics at Georgetown University - The world's oldest and most comprehensive academic bioethics center. Among many resources offered is the Bioethics Guide for High School Students and Teachers (PDF file).
• Introduction to Bioethics - Online course offered by Dr. Tom Kerns. All course materials available on the website.
• Columbia University Center for Bioethics - The Center for Bioethics provides an inter-disciplinary, inter-professional forum to advance both public understanding and scholarly work on contemporary issues in Bioethics. The Center explores these issues by providing education, promoting research, and offering service to diverse communities.
• National Institutes of Health - Bioethics Resources on the Web.
• The Hastings Center - A nonpartisan research institution dedicated to bioethics and the public interest since 1969.
• American Society for Bioethics and Humanities- Promotes the exchange of ideas and fosters multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and inter-professional scholarship, research, teaching, policy development, professional development, and collegiality among people engaged in clinical and academic bioethics and the medical humanities.
• American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics - Publishes the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics and the American Journal of Law & Medicine. "Our mission is to provide high-quality scholarship, debate, and critical thought for professionals at the intersection of law, medicine, and ethics."
• AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion - Facilitates communication between scientific and religious communities, building on the American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) long-standing commitment to relate scientific knowledge and technological development to the purposes and concerns of society at large.
• Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues - Advising the U.S. President on ethical issues related to advances in biomedical science and technology.
• Forum on Science Ethics and Policy - Promoting dialogue among scholars, policy experts, and the public about the role of science in society. Hosted by the University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
• Northwest Association for Biomedical Research - The Northwest Association for Biomedical Research is a non-profit educational organization established in 1988 to promote the public understanding of biomedical research and its ethical conduct. Based in Seattle, USA.
• Harvard Square Library: Van Rensselaer Potter - Profile of Van Potter, who coined the word "bioethics" in 1970 and defined this comprehensive field of thought and action. 

For additional links, including links to university bioethics programs, see Bioethics: Web Resources, compiled by Tom Mayo of Southern Methodist University. The Princeton Bioethics Forum also offers a list of university bioethics programs.

Articles on Bioethics

Potter, Van Rensselaer and Potter, Lisa. "Global Bioethics: Converting Sustainable Development to Global Survival". Medicine and Global Survival (1995).

Books on Bioethics

• Kravchenko, Svitlana and Bonine, John. Human Rights and the Environment. Carolina Academic Press, 2008.
• Potter, Van Rensselaer. Global Bioethics: Building on the Leopold Legacy. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1988.
• Potter, Van Rensselaer. Bioethics: Bridge to the Future. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1971.

Resources: Stem Cells, Cloning, and Reproductive Issues

• The Genetics and Public Policy Center- Helps policy leaders, decision makers, and the public better understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities arising from advances in genetics and their application to human health and well-being. Housed at Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
• PBS Map - Portal to U.S. state policies on stem cells and cloning developed by the U.S. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
• The National Human Genome Research Institute  - Led the Human Genome Project for the National Institutes of Health, which culminated in the completion of the full human genome sequence in April 2003.
• Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology - "Promotes and advances the standards for the practice of assisted reproductive technology to the benefit of our patients, members and society at large."
• The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) - Devoted to advancing knowledge and expertise in infertility, reproductive medicine, and biology.
• The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) - Brings together health care professionals across disciplines and specialties for evidence-based training and network building among committed colleagues.

Teaching Resources

• "Bioethics and the Precautionary Principle". The Environment and the Health of Populations (BHLTH497), University of Washington, Bothell, invited by Linda Westbrook, November 3, 2004. 
• Bioethics Guide for High School Students and Teachers (PDF file) from the Kennedy Institute of Bioethics at Georgetown University.
• Bioethics 101 Curriculum from the Northwest Association of Biomedical Research.