Opportunities for preparing background papers

14 January 2013

The Council is seeking individuals to support the forward planning work of the Council by preparing background papers on potential future topics. The papers will provide background material for the Council’s Forward Look Seminar (scheduled for May 2013) where Council members together with invited experts and commentators meet to discuss in detail a number of issues with a view to deciding whether they should be taken forward as future topics.

Box Office Bioethics: New judging panel for 2012-2013

11 January 2013

We are delighted to announce an exciting panel of judges for the second year of the Council’s student film competition, Box Office Bioethics.

This year’s panel includes five Council members and four special guest judges from a variety of backgrounds, with expertise in a wide range of subjects including film-making, bioethics and education.

Council members

Dr Rhona Knight

Trailer video for play on novel neurotechnologies

17 December 2012

The Council is collaborating on ‘Stunted trees and broken bridges’, the latest play from the Central YMCA’s national touring theatre company Y Touring. A trailer video for this production is now available.

Government and industry should do more to encourage social responsibility in biotechnology research and innovation

Press Release

13 December 2012

The Government and industry should take steps to ensure that research and development of new biotechnologies is carried out in accordance with social and ethical responsibilities, says a new report from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.

Human bodies donation report: one year on

29 November 2012

Just over a year after the publication of the Council’s report Human bodies: donation for medicine and research, a record of relevant developments that have occurred since is now available. These include new NICE guidance on the management of organ donation services in order to maximise donations, and proposed changes in Wales to the requirements for consent to organ donation, in order to introduce an ‘opt-out’ system.

Education Advisory Group seeks new members

23 November 2012

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics engages in a number of educational activities to encourage discussion of bioethics amongst young people.

Call for expressions of interest in new project on children in clinical research

22 November 2012

The Council has agreed to establish a new work theme to examine the ethical issues raised by the involvement of children and young people in clinical research. The central focus of this project will be to consider whether the current systems for regulating clinical research strike the right balance between promoting the understanding of childhood diseases (and the associated availability of evidence-based treatments for children) and ensuring the proper protection of child participants.

Prime Minister announces next phase of 'Dementia Challenge'

9 November 2012

The Prime Minister has announced the next steps for his ‘Dementia Challenge’, a pledge announced in March this year to deliver major improvements in dementia care and research by 2015.

Council seeks new members

31 October 2012

The Council has a broad membership which is revisited from time to time to ensure that it includes the appropriate experience and expertise. We are now seeking applications for new Council members and we would particularly welcome applicants with experience in the following areas:

• GP or other healthcare practitioner

• Basic / clinical science

• Social science

• Industry Patient and public interfaces

• Communications

New food labelling scheme in line with Council recommendations

24 October 2012

The Health Minister Anna Soubry today announced the introduction of a new system of consistent front-of-pack food labelling which it is hoped will help consumers make healthier choices about the food they eat.