Hastings Center News

The Hastings Center’s 2024 Highlights

It has been a successful 2024 thanks to our community of readers and supporters who trust The Hastings Center to illuminate and thoughtfully explore ethical issues in health, science, and technology.

Here are some of the past year’s highlights, with a personal message from President Vardit Ravitsky.

AI, Health, and Biomedical Research
The Hastings Center conducts research on the ethics of artificial intelligence in health and biomedical research aimed at guiding policy and practice. We led the development of guidance to editors on the responsible use of generative AI in scholarly publishing. President Vardit Ravitsky is on the steering committee of the National Academy of Medicine’s AI Healthcare Code of Conduct. Ethics of AI in Health and Biomedical Research – The Hastings Center

Anti-Ableism in Medical Education: Meeting the Challenges
Our issue brief provided strategic recommendations for medical educators to improve the way they care for patients with disabilities.Anti-Ableist Medical Education: Meeting the Challenges – The Hastings Center

What Makes an Organization Trustworthy?
We launched the first study of its kind to look at organizational trustworthiness as it relates to community-engaged research.  The Hastings Center Awarded $1.5 Million by PCORI to Study Organizational Trustworthiness and Community-Engaged Research – The Hastings Center

Gene Therapy’s Hopes and Ethical, Policy Challenges
What is sufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness to justify approving a gene therapy? How can these therapies be made accessible and affordable to patients? A new Hastings project is addressing these challenges and will make recommendations on addressing them. Gene Therapy’s Ethical and Policy Challenges – The Hastings Center

Pipeline Programs
We continued and strengthened our education pipeline programs for undergraduates and graduate and professional school students who are motivated to tackle bioethics challenges facing society but are from backgrounds that are underrepresented in bioethics in the United States.
Sadler Scholars – The Hastings Center
Summer Bioethics Program for Underrepresented Undergraduates – The Hastings Center

Facing Dementia: Clarifying End-of-Life Choices, Supporting Better Lives
Our special report reviewed options, revealed inequities, and made recommendations to policymakers and others on how to reduce the financial hardships and social isolation associated with dementia.  Facing Dementia: Clarifying End‐of‐Life Choices, Supporting Better Lives: Hastings Center Report: Vol 54, No S1