Bioethics
The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics explores ethical issues in biology.
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.
The Hispanic mortality paradox helps explain how Hispanics often have better health outcomes and live longer, despite less frequent doctor visits, discussions of health concerns, and a poorer diet. The role that spirituality and religion may play in this paradox requires rethinking how spirituality and health care coexist.
Even though clinical trials are essential to advancing scientific knowledge, they need to be conducted ethically. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as seen with ethical misconduct found in a clinical trial with Kaiser of Northern California.
The disparities in contraceptive use among Hispanic adolescents significantly impact unintended pregnancy rates.
America values health care as a privilege rather than a human right, which should be contributed to our country’s deeply entrenched societal philosophy of individualism.
Connect with the Ethics Center for student opportunities in our Health Care Ethics Internship, Honzel Fellowship, or Post-Graduation Fellowship in Health Equity and Innovation.
Symposium with presentations by the 2024-25 Health Care Ethics Interns and the 2024-25 Honzel Fellow from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.
Access 2025 Health Care Ethics Symposium Recording on YouTube
Unhoused individuals face a daily struggle to access necessities like food, clothing, and health care. To ensure unhoused people’s access to health care, we must better address the barriers they face.
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.
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.
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.
Dorothée Caminiti, director, bioethics, quoted by KTVU Fox 2.
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.
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.