Established in 1985, the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics is a nationally prominent, yet locally focused, resource that conducts important research and provides educational programs and services to help students, professionals, policy makers, and the public confront the complex ethical issues emerging in health care and the life sciences. The University of Minnesota, the state legislature, and a progressive health-care oriented community have helped make the Center one of the most respected and highly visible bioethics programs in the country.
Faculty from the schools of medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, public health, law, and the College of Liberal Arts have developed a curriculum that is both theoretical and applied; both focused and broad; and the deans of these schools serve as the Center's Board of Directors.
The Center is a member of the Consortium on Law and Values The Consortium links sixteen leading centers and programs at the University of Minnesota to address legal, ethical, and policy implications of the life sciences.
The mission of the Center is to advance and disseminate knowledge concerning ethical issues in health care and the life sciences. The Center carries out this mission by conducting original interdisciplinary research, offering educational programs and courses, fostering public discussion and debate through community outreach activities, and assisting in the formulation of public policy.
The Center is open to all points of view regarding moral values and principles. Its research reflects a strong belief in combining the strengths of various disciplines and professions. When possible, research findings are integrated with policy analysis.
The Center provides education in bioethics for University students, faculty, and staff; professionals in health care and related fields; and interested members of the general public.
We live in an era of constant technological innovation and advances in scientific understanding. These have provided us with health care opportunities unknown to previous generations, but also created situations where we must make complex decisions on vital issues.
From the bedsides of dying patients where physicians and family members confront critical choices, to national and state capitols where legislators struggle to shape equitable health care policies; people are grappling with the issues of bioethics. Assisted reproduction, genetic testing, and allocation of organs are among the issues that challenge us.
Research and Scholarship
Technological advances in health care and
biotechnology are generating
complex new ethical issues. The Center conducts both theoretical and practical research to provide scholars and the
public with the information and understanding to confront these issues. Research and scholarship efforts include:
- Comprehensive research on ethical issues in genetic testing and counseling, reproductive technologies, organ transplantation, end-of-life care, managed care, long term care, research ethics, and professional ethics
- Publication of books, book chapters, and articles in professional journals
- Spearheading the University's initiative to provide courses in research ethics for students, faculty, and administrators involved in research
Innovative Education
The Center provides a broad range of educational
programs and services that meet the needs of University faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals in
health care and related fields nationwide. Programs include:
- Bioethics courses for students and professionals throughout the University
- Graduate Minor in Bioethics
- Short courses and workshops for health care and legal professionals
- Seminar series featuring noted scholars on a wide variety of ethical issues in health care and the life sciences
- Joint Degree Program in Law, Health & the Life Sciences
Public Policy
Policymakers look to the Center for advice and guidance
on integrating bioethics into the policy-making process. The Center's faculty and associates:
- Provide advice to policy makers at the state and national levels
- Serve on state and national public policy committees (e.g. Presidential and Congressional task forces)
- Convene expert panels to address current bioethics issues
Center for Arts and Medicine
Information forthcoming.
Outreach
Throughout its history, the Center has been recognized
for its effort to bring bioethics to the attention of the public through offerings such as:
- The Bioethics Examiner with a circulation of more than 7,000 worldwide
- Resources with up-to-date information on bioethics issues
- Conferences and lectures
- Appearances on television, radio, and in print media
- Responses to media inquiries
- Ethics Matters column on CNN Interactive ( www.cnn.com/health)
