Bioethics
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics explores ethical issues in biology.
What is Bioethics?
by Margaret McLean, senior scholar of the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
Bioethics involves a reflective, careful examination of issues that arise in biology and medicine, such as end-of-life decision making, DIY biology, biohacking, genetic testing, and the new possibilities of gene editing. It spans a large range of activities that may occur in garages or in laboratories.
Commentary on Bioethics
Vaccination and mask mandates will push us all to be our better selves—to protect ourselves and others from the health, economic, and social consequences of unchecked pandemic.
Two features of AI/ML in clinical decision making raise important ethical and legal questions about how to assign responsibility for medical decisions.
The debate over whether health care is a right or a privilege comes down to how much burden society is willing to accept in order to provide health care to those who lack it. There may be a compromise.
Catholic bishops in the United States are split about the morality of using a COVID-19 vaccine.
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International medical volunteering (IMV) refers to when individuals with health care training volunteer their time to work in a different country and has been described as “medical voluntourism” where seemingly altruistic volunteering is paired with an exotic vacation.
There are numerous ethical concerns around the growing prevalence of online, direct-to-consumer prescription services and, changes must be made to this system in order to mitigate these ethical pitfalls.
Current reproductive health care in the United States incarceration system does not meet ethical guidelines, leading to dire consequences for women and their newborns.
The panethnic identity cannot be fully embraced without acknowledging the unique experiences of the different Asian ethnic groups, especially when considering health outcomes.
Bioethics Materials
Browse curated bioethics pieces on subjects such as end-of-life care, clinical ethics, pandemics, and culturally competent care.
Dive deep into real-life examples of vulnerable patient populations, organ transplantation, and other topics in bioethics.
Hear what our staff and fellows are saying about neurotechnology, current events, and more.
Explore the in-depth guides our staff have organized to model Catholic health care policies, MRSA risk assessment ethics, and beyond.
Health Disparities and COVID - 19
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African American community and other marginalized groups have been disproportionately impacted by the negative effects of the pandemic in a number of ways. View 2020-21 Hackworth Fellow Amanda Liddell's project on the subject below.
Culturally Competent Care
Many patients from non-majority ethnicities and/or cultures frequently experience misunderstanding, mistreatment, or marginalization in clinical health care settings. See our compiled resources for health care that is sensitive to the differing values and needs of cultural groups within our diverse society.
End-of-Life Care with Alzheimer’s Disease
What ethical issues arise when terminal neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's prevent individuals from making medical decisions? This material explores answers to such questions and ethical considerations for end-of-life care with Alzheimer's Disease.