Bioethics is the interdisciplinary study of ethical issues arising in the life sciences, health care, technology, and health and science policy. It examines the ethical, legal, and social implications of such issues (e.g., informed consent, artificial intelligence, and genetics) in our daily lives. Scholars of philosophy, social science, medicine, law, technology, and many other disciplines bring their expertise to bioethics questions to understand challenges and opportunities, clarify the values at stake, and, when possible, effect change through the creation of guidelines, recommendations, and policy.

The Hastings Center is a pioneering bioethics research institute.

Bioethics Briefings

The Hastings Center’s Bioethics Briefings provide overviews of bioethical perspectives on issues including abortion, medical aid in dying, climate change, end-of-life care, genetic data and law enforcement, pandemic planning, and more.

The Hastings Center Bioethics Timeline

A timeline of bioethics from the end of World War II to the present day, created by The Hastings Center Bioethics Timeline Committee, a group of Hastings Center fellows.

Hastings Bioethics Forum

Our online publication, Hastings Bioethics Forum, consists of topical commentary on current bioethical issues. Latest news & opinion from Bioethics Forum:

• Death and the Collapse of our Metaphorical Truths
• Jimmy Carter’s Defeat and the Seeds of Hope
• What Does AI Jesus Teach Us?
• Ethical Considerations for Using AI to Predict Suicide Risk
• Now What? Bioethics and Mitigating Climate Disasters

Bioethics Journals

The Hastings Center publishes two bioethics journals, the Hastings Center Report and Ethics & Human Research.

Stay up to date with the latest issues in bioethics by subscribing to our email newsletter:

Philanthropy typically accounts for 45% of The Hastings Center’s annual revenue.