News New report says the NHS should not widely roll-out AI-powered genomic health prediction technology yet 11 Sep 2024
Report Read report Downloads Download the final report - Predicting: The future of health? Download the early findings report - DNA.I. Joint report with the Ada Lovelace Institute Predicting: The future of health? Assessing the potential, risks and appropriate role of AI-powered genomic health prediction in the UK health system.
News Action needed to address gaps in ethical guidance for genomic research and healthcare practice 18 Jan 2024
Report Read report Downloads Towards a gold standard of ethics across genomic healthcare and research: Where are we? (2024) Ethics in genomics healthcare and research: Resource bank (2024) Ethics in genomics healthcare and research: Building connections and sharing best practice (2023) Ethics in genomics healthcare and research: Summary of case studies (2023) Current project Genomics healthcare and research A project aimed at developing a UK model for applying ethical standards to genomics initiatives.
News The application of AI to genomics raises ‘urgent’ ethical questions, early findings suggest 31 Aug 2023
News Towards a best practice UK model for ethical standards in genomics healthcare and research 27 Jul 2023
News Invitation to tender: Deliberative mini-public on AI and 'genomic health prediction' 08 Mar 2023
News Call for case studies on genomics and ethics We need you! The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is looking for case studies that illustrate how people in the UK are tackling the ethical issues raised by genomics healthcare and research initiatives. 08 Jul 2022
News Second Reading of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill will amend regulatory requirements for the development and marketing of precision bred plants and animals in England, paving the way for the introduction of genome editing into our food and farming system. 15 Jun 2022
Press Release Nuffield Council on Bioethics response the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill will be introduced to Parliament today. 25 May 2022
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the short version of the report Download a summary of the report 01 Dec 21 Genome editing and farmed animal breeding: social and ethical issues This report examines the social and ethical issues raised by the potential use of genome editing technologies in farmed animal breeding.
Public dialogue Read public dialogue Downloads Read the report of the online public dialogue on genome editing and farmed animals 10 Sep 21 Rapid online dialogue on genome editing and farmed animals We commissioned a rapid online dialogue to explore how non-specialist members of the public viewed these emerging technologies – what they felt were the wider social and ethical issues raised and what considerations should guide the implementation and governance of these new technologies.
News New joint project with the Ada Lovelace Institute on AI and genomics futures The Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the Ada Lovelace Institute will be working together on a new project on AI and genomics futures. 29 Jul 2021
News Nuffield Council welcomes new international guidance on governance of human genome editing The World Health Organization (WHO) has today published the findings of its Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing. 12 Jul 2021
News Nuffield Council on Bioethics welcomes Select Committee report on direct-to-consumer genomic testing 22 Jun 2021
News Chair of Nuffield Council appointed to the National Genomics Board We are delighted to announce that Professor David Archard, Chair of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, has been appointed to the National Genomics Board. 10 Jun 2021
Blog The regulation of genetic technologies: time for dialogue by Peter Mills There are two kinds of question that people ask about developments in life sciences and biotechnology. 04 Feb 2021 6
News Nuffield Council responds to Science and Technology Committee's call for evidence on commercial genomics 09 May 2019
News ‘Commercial genomics’ chosen for a new inquiry by the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee following Nuffield Council proposal Today the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee published their 'My Science Inquiry'... 27 Feb 2019
News Nuffield Council on Bioethics to pitch ‘commercial genomics’ inquiry to MPs The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has been invited to pitch an inquiry on commercial genomics to the... 21 Jan 2019
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report Download the key recommendations 17 Jul 18 Genome editing and human reproduction: social and ethical issues In July 2018, we published a report into the social and ethical issues raised by the use of genome editing as a technology that could influence inherited characteristics in humans.
News House of Commons Science and Technology Committee publishes report: Genomics and Genome Editing in the NHS Today, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee published its report, Genomics and Geno... 21 Apr 2018
Policy Briefing Read policy briefing Downloads Download the briefing note 27 Mar 18 Whole genome sequencing of babies This briefing note explores the ethical issues raised by whole genome sequencing of babies.
Blog Assessing the security implications of genome editing technology by Peter Mills One place that social epistemologists tracking contemporary manifestations of the 'two cultures'... 19 Oct 2017 1
Blog Genome editing, human rights and the ‘posthuman’ by Peter Mills Last month I spoke at the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) annual conference in J... 03 Oct 2017 3
Blog A new social contract for Generation Genome? by Jonathan Montgomery The Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, has published today her latest Annual Report, Generati... 04 Jul 2017 0
Blog CRISPR in North America: the National Academies’ report by Peter Mills A fortnight ago the US National Academies of Sciences and of Medicine published their long anticipat... 07 Mar 2017 0
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report Download the key recommendations Download the easy read guide to the report Listen to the easy read guide Guidance for manufacturers and healthcare providers 01 Mar 17 Non-invasive prenatal testing: ethical issues This report considers how NIPT could change the way we view pregnancy, disability and difference, and what the wider consequences of its increasing use might be.
News Council responds to NAS-NAM report on human genome editing The US National Academies of Sciences (NAS) and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) have today releas... 15 Feb 2017
Blog CRISPR in South America: a case for 'liberation genomics'? by Peter Mills We should all know about CRISPR-Cas9 (CC9) by now. We should know, at least, that it is a biological... 10 Nov 2016 3
News Joint statement: Ethics councils to give urgent attention to genome editing Members of the ethics advisory councils of Germany, France and the UK, met on 21 October in Berlin t... 24 Oct 2016
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report Download a summary of the key points 30 Sep 16 Genome editing: an ethical review This review considers the impact of recent advances in genome editing, which have diffused rapidly across many fields of biological research, and the range of ethical questions to which they give rise.
Press Release Ethics review identifies top two challenges for genome editing Preventing the transmission of inherited genetic diseases, and increasing food production rates in f... 30 Sep 2016
News Why? When? Who? Report of workshop on genome editing and public dialogue now published The Nuffield Council on Bioethics and Sciencewise co-hosted a workshop to discuss the possibilities ... 23 May 2016
Blog Public dialogue on genome editing: Why? When? Who? by Roland Jackson In a very short space of time, new techniques (such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system) have revolutionised p... 23 May 2016 1
News HFEA approves licence application to use gene editing in research The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Licence Committee has approved an applicatio... 01 Feb 2016
Blog Human gene editing: Keep calm and carry on conversing by Andy Greenfield The Human Gene Editing Summit in Washington DC was much anticipated and generated many commentaries,... 17 Dec 2015 0
Blog Gene gibbering by Peter Mills On 1 December the statesmen and -women of molecular biology will meet in Washington, DC, for a three... 27 Nov 2015 1
News Council calls for evidence on genome editing The Council has published a call for evidence on genome editing - a recently developed set of techni... 27 Nov 2015
Blog Hinxton, Greater Manchester: sealing a transatlantic entente by Peter Mills “It's peace and quiet that we need to go back to work again.” – Bob Dylan, Joey In recent ... 15 Sep 2015 0
News First meeting of the genome editing Working Group The first meeting of the Council's new Working Group on genome editing, chaired by Dr Andy Greenfi... 15 Sep 2015
Blog Of big beasts and straw men by Peter Mills I wrote recently on this blog about the disappointingly peremptory resolution by the US National Ins... 02 Sep 2015 0
News Genome editing working group announced The Council has established a new working group to explore the ethical issues raised by novel genome... 13 Jul 2015
Blog NIH throws out the bathwater, baby and all. by Peter Mills Yesterday, the US National Institutes of Health announced that they would “not fund any use of gen... 01 May 2015 0
News Council hosts scoping workshop on genome editing On 22 April, the Council held a workshop on genome editing to identify the main issues raised by adv... 28 Apr 2015
News New Council project on genome editing This year, the Council is starting a new project exploring the ethical issues around genome editing ... 10 Apr 2015
Blog The moral implications of genome editing in 300 words? by Peter Mills This year, the Council is starting a new project exploring ethical issues around genome editing. In ... 30 Mar 2015 7
Blog After the vote was over, after the count was done…. by Guest My hope that the benighted term “three parent baby” might disappear from the public discourse wa... 05 Feb 2015 0
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report Download the key recommendations Download the executive summary 03 Feb 15 The collection, linking and use of data in biomedical research and health care: ethical issues This report looks at the ethical issues raised by data use in biomedical research and health care, and sets out key ethical principles for the design and governance of data initiatives.
Background Paper Read background paper Downloads Download the paper 01 Feb 15 Identifying key developments, issues and questions relating to techniques of genome editing with engineered nucleases This commissioned paper discusses scientific, ethical and governance aspects of genome editing with engineered nucleases
Background Paper Read background paper Downloads Download the background paper 16 May 11 Genomics, health records, database linkage and privacy
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report 12 Oct 10 Medical profiling and online medicine: the ethics of 'personalised healthcare' in a consumer age
Press Release DNA of innocent people should not be kept by police DNA profiling is an increasingly valuable tool for detecting and prosecuting offenders, but more saf... 19 Sep 2007
Report Read report Downloads Download the report 19 Sep 07 The forensic use of bioinformation: ethical issues This report uses the principle of proportionality as a basis for recommendations in a number of areas including the use of the National DNA Database.
Press Release Supplement to 1993 Report on Genetic Screening The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has published a Supplement to its report Genetic Screening: ethica... 12 Aug 2006
Report Read report Downloads Genetic screening: a supplement to the 1993 report 12 Aug 06 Genetic screening: a supplement to the 1993 report This supplement to our 1993 report on genetic screening summarises scientific, technological and policy-related developments that have taken place over the past 13 years in the UK.
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the summary report Download the guide to the report 22 Sep 03 Pharmacogenetics: ethical issues This report considers the implications of pharmacogenetics for research and development of medicines, clinical practice and treatment, and the use and storage of genetic information.
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the guide to the report Download the summary and conclusions 01 Oct 02 Genetics and human behaviour: the ethical context Research is exploring how genes and the environment influence behavioural traits. This report addresses concerns over how this information could be used to try to predict, change or select such traits.
Report Read report Downloads Download the report 22 Jul 02 The ethics of patenting DNA: a discussion paper This report considers whether the DNA patent system is achieving its aims of stimulating innovation for the public good, and rewarding people for useful new inventions.
Report Read report Downloads Download the report 01 Sep 98 Mental disorders and genetics: the ethical context This report considers the ethical concerns raised by research into the genetics of mental disorders.
Report Read report Downloads Download the report Download the supplement to the report (2006) 01 Dec 93 Genetic screening: ethical issues