Current projects
- Reproduction and reproductive technologies
This sub-area of bioethics examines the ethical implications of new and emerging assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and is exemplified by Becki Bennett's examination of the issues that might be associated with reproduction, assisted or natural, and the exercise of reproductive choices.
- Uses of human organs and tissues
explores both philosophical questions, such as what rights should exist in human body parts, and practical and policy issues, such as the impact of different regulatory systems on biobanking and organ transplantation. As chair of the Retained Organs Commission, Margot Brazier has been able to set the intellectual and policy agendas in this area. Her contribution is strongly supported by Charles Erin's work on transplantation, together with Anne-Maree Farrell's salient analyses of blood policy and regulation.
- Health care and medicine
deals with the provision of health care at the individual and societal level: the physician-patient relationship, issues in medical treatment and the ethical and social aspects of public health care. Here, we would highlight Margot Brazier's analyses of patient care issues as major reference points. Other important work includes Becki Bennett's explorations of confidentiality and of consent, Charles Erin's discussion of decision making about conjoined twins, and Suzanne Ost's investigation of issues relating to euthanasia. In addition, Simona Giordano has produced a highly original analysis of the ethics and phenomenology of eating disorders, one that is likely to force a rethinking of current practice.
The Impact of the Criminal Process on Health Care Ethics and Practice is an AHRC funded project that aims to complete a comprehensive analysis of the role of the criminal justice system in regulating medical (mal) practice and ethics in the UK; identify factors that have resulted in a fear of the criminal law, and more frequent resort to prosecution of doctors; to assess how far (if at all) any such trend derives from social factors special to medicine or from broader societal attitudes which focus on blame and retribution, and to evaluate how far the engagement of the criminal process with medicine is constructive or, to the contrary, destructive of good medicine using selected comparative analyses. The project will involve comparative research in New Zealand, France and the Netherlands, and will host a series of seminars and conferences. The team, led by Margaret Brazier, is Andrew Sanders at Birmingham, Charles Erin, Suzanne Ost at Lancaster, Anne-Marie Farrell, Amel Alghrani and Danielle Griffiths. For more information please visit http://www.law.manchester.ac.uk/research/hccriminalprocess/index.html
- Stem cells, cloning and embryo research
covers one of the most hotly debated areas of science over the last decade, and remains a key topic in bioethics, where CSEP has had a major role in setting the agenda. Arising from the European funded EUROSTEM project, John Harris's work, including his monograph, on cloning has been pioneering. Other significant outputs from that project include Matti Häyry's theoretical analysis of the issues, together with Catherine Stanton’s discussion of the moral status of the embryo. Also noteworthy is David Gurnham's treatment of human dignity in this context.
- “Genethics”
The new genetics and genetic information is a rapidly developing area that explores the tension between protecting individual interests in personal genetic information and recognising the shared nature of the human genome. It is represented by the contributions of Becki Bennett on antenatal genetic testing and Kirsty Keywood on information ignorance and autonomy.
- Genetic modification
raises questions about the moral acceptability of altering micro-organisms and genomes for human, pharmaceutical or industrial purposes. The issues are scrutinised in John Harris's again pioneering analysis of genetic equity and Catherine Stanton's examination of the issues in the context of disability.
- Enhancement, ability and disability
deals with the question of whether genetic technologies should be used, not only to cure, but to improve the “normal” human genome. John Harris's discussion of the ethics of life extending therapies is a major reference point in the debate, with Matti Häyry making a similarly significant contribution in relation to reproduction.
- Philosophy in bioethics
is focused on research at the level of more abstract philosophy. Of particular note is Matti Häyry's assessment of European values in bioethics and his interrogation of Kantian moral philosophy. Iain Brassington is researching on body art and medical technology.
- Law and bioethics
focuses more specifically on analysis of law and policy in relation to various medical, health care and biotechnology-related issues. Significant contributions here include Kirsty Keywood's discussions of mental health and law’s characterisation of the body, and David Gurnham's use of broader narratives to analyse issues of justice and gender, human dignity and retribution. John Coggon is studying public health regulation, and focusing on the relationships between social, ethical and legal principles for individuals and for populations
- Clinical Negligence
Sarah Devaney, Anne-Maree Farrell, Angela Melville and Frank Stephen are working on the use of 'legal consciousness' as a means to understanding claimant/lawyer relations in the field of clinical negligence and analysing how different contractual relations impact on case management.