Designer Babies, Genetic Engineering And Cloning Discussed In A Series Of Podcasts

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry;  Genetics
Article Date: 18 Oct 2006 - 6:00 PDT

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In an effort to help the public make sense of an escalating number of news stories about "designer babies," genetic engineering and cloning, the Women's Bioethics Project (WBP) today announced the launch of its first series of podcasts, titled "The Scientist & the Ethicist."

"The Scientist & the Ethicist" series presents conversations with prominent bioethicists discussing topical ethical issues related to reproductive and genetic technologies and the impact of these growing fields on women and their families. The podcast conversations will help listeners of all ages develop a better understanding of current ethical controversies and the complexities associated with such technologies as genetic engineering and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. Each podcast episode in the series is freely available for download or computer listening at http://www.womensbioethics.org.

"The podcasts cover a variety of ethical and legal questions behind the new genetic and reproductive technologies people hear about in the media," said Emilie Clemmens, Ph.D., a research fellow at WBP and host of the podcasts. "Leading bioethicists from the fields of law, medicine and philosophy provide diverse perspectives on such questions as, 'Should parents be allowed to choose their children's genes?'"

Dr. Clemmens, a scientist with training in physiology and bioengineering, has interviewed several prominent ethicists for this series:

* R. Alta Charo, J.D. Warren P. Knowles professor of law and bioethics, University of Wisconsin Law and Medical Schools

* Marcy Darnovsky, Ph.D. associate executive director, Center for Genetics and Society

* Linda MacDonald Glenn, J.D., LLM core faculty at Alden March Bioethics Institute (AMBI), research fellow at the University of Vermont

* Rosemarie Tong, Ph.D. director, Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

* Michael Yesley, J.D. former staff director, National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

"The Scientist & the Ethicist" podcast series is funded in part by a grant from Humanities Washington, a nonprofit foundation providing cultural and education programs. The podcasts are an extension of the Women's Bioethics Project Book Club, which encourages book clubs across America to read popular works of fiction that raise bioethical issues and to use WBP-provided discussion materials to evaluate the various bioethics issues presented.

The Women's Bioethics Project is an independent, nonpartisan, public-policy think tank based in Seattle. WBP is dedicated to ensuring that women's voices, health concerns and unique life experiences will be represented in discussions and decisions about ethical issues in healthcare and biotechnology.

Contact: Kathryn Hinsch
Women's Bioethics Project