Hastings Center News
Vardit Ravitsky Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Dr. Vardit Ravitsky, President of The Hastings Center for Bioethics, has been elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
Election to the academy, regarded as one of the highest honors in the field of health and medicine, recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of medical services, healthcare, and public health.
The academy commended Ravitsky for her work in cutting-edge ethical and policy issues in reproductive health, rights, and technologies; gene editing; mitochondrial replacement techniques; and the health-related use of AI.
Ravitsky is particularly interested in the various ways in which cultural frameworks shape public debate and public policy around bioethical issues. She has been engaged in public health ethics and was heavily involved in public outreach during the Covid-19 pandemic. Her research and policy work also address the use of AI in biomedical research and healthcare, and she served on the steering committee of the National Academy of Medicine to develop an Artificial Intelligence Code of Conduct (AICC).
“I am deeply honored to be elected to this renowned organization,” said Ravitsky. “Bioethics is about making the world a better place for patients and communities. It is gratifying to see the NAM recognizing the importance of this work. I am grateful to The Hastings Center board of directors and to my colleagues at the Center and at other institutions I have had the privilege of working with.
“The Hastings Center has defined and addressed some of the most complex ethical issues in health, science, and technology by fostering values-based exchanges that lead to creative problem-solving. At a time of misinformation and broken trust, when basic concepts that were once widely shared—such as evidence, expertise, and equity—are under assault, our work meets the moment.”
Ravitsky has published over 300 articles and commentaries on bioethical issues and has given over 400 talks worldwide. She is frequently interviewed in the media around the world, including on CBS “60 Minutes,” NPR, The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, France TV, and the Hong Kong Business Journal.
“I was delighted to learn of Vardit’s election to the National Academy of Medicine. It is an acknowledgement of her work as a scholar in bioethics and a tribute to her leadership of The Hastings Center,” said Dr. Joseph J. Fins, Chairman of the Hastings Board and an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. “As president she has brought a strong vision for advancing bioethics that prioritizes the common good, promotes human flourishing, and acknowledges global solidarity amidst the promise and peril of emerging technologies. These objectives have informed our five-year strategic plan, developed under her leadership, as we navigate a future that makes the Center more important than ever.”
In addition to Fins and Ravitsky, Hastings Center leaders who have been elected to the NAM include current Hastings board members Bradford H. Gray (Board Chair Emeritus), Darrell G. Kirch, and Reed V. Tuckson, and Hastings co-founders Daniel Callahan and Willard Gaylin.
The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy, and inspires positive actions across sectors.
The Hastings Center for Bioethics was established in 1969 and is considered the world’s leading independent and nonpartisan organization of its kind. It has helped create, shape, and define the field of bioethics and its influence. Hastings’s work has been foundational to society’s views and responses to a wide range of issues, such as HIV/AIDS, end-of-life care, disability, healthy aging, the Covid pandemic, and health AI.
