Hastings News
- The “‘Ripple Effect” of Suicide: Hastings Center Cofounder Argues Against Physician Aid in Dying
Posted on September 14, 2017
Is it appropriate for physicians to help patients end their lives? In the current issue of Southern Medical Journal, Hastings Center cofounder Daniel Callahan and Lydia S. Dugdale, an associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, argue that this practice threatens the public good. They challenge the reasoning that physician aid in dying is justified… Read more
- International Conference Co-Organized by Hastings Examines the Ethics of Gene Editing
Posted on August 31, 2017
Following recent advances in gene editing technologies, including the first recorded use of CRISPR/Cas9 in human embryos in the United States, The Hastings Center cosponsored an international conference, “Genome Editing: Biomedical and Ethical Perspectives,” which took place in Belgrade, Serbia from August 20-21. The other sponsors were the Center for the Study of Bioethics in… Read more
- Hastings Center Scholar: Migrants Need Social Citizenship
Posted on August 30, 2017
In an essay in Aeon magazine, Hastings Center research scholar Nancy Berlinger argues that migrants — who make up every seventh person in the world–need more than sanctuary cities. They need to be recognized as “social citizens.” Berlinger is codirector of The Hastings Center’s undocumented patients project. Read her essay here.
- Hastings Scholars in New England Journal of Medicine: Supporting Women’s Autonomy in Prenatal Testing
Posted on August 9, 2017
Noninvasive fetal genetic sequencing done early in pregnancy is poised to become a routine part of prenatal care. While it could offer patients substantial benefits, there is a risk that it will be integrated into care “without the robust, evidence-based informed consent process necessary for respecting women’s autonomy,” states an article in the August 10… Read more
- Choosing Flourishing: Erik Parens Calls for Fresh Thinking on Disability
Posted on July 26, 2017
Disability advocates and bioethicists have long debated whether it is appropriate for individuals, particularly prospective parents engaged in reproductive decision-making, to “choose disability,” as in the case of a deaf couple who would like to have a deaf child. In the current issue of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, Hastings Center senior research scholar… Read more
- Natalie Kofler: What Role Should Humans Play in “Editing Nature”?
Posted on July 18, 2017
Natalie Kofler, a postdoctoral research scientist at Yale University, visited The Hastings Center earlier this summer to explore the ethical questions surrounding the use of gene editing technologies in the environment. Kofler shared insights from the Editing Nature summit, which brought together a multidisciplinary group to discuss the impact of these emerging techniques. To learn more… Read more