Pediatric Bioethics Conference

2014 Pediatric Bioethics Conference

The Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics hosted its 10th annual pediatric bioethics conference on July 18 and 19, 2014, in Seattle. PDFs of speaker biographies and slides and videos of presentations appear below.

2014 Bioethics Conference Introduction

New Opportunities, New Challenges: Exploring the Ethical Boundaries of Pediatric Research

In July 2005, Seattle Children’s hosted its first annual pediatric bioethics conference, entitled "Current Controversies in Pediatric Research Ethics". Now, a decade later, we revisit the topic as we focus on the changing and challenging world of pediatric bioethics – "New Opportunities, New Challenges: Exploring the Ethical Boundaries of Pediatric Research". An impressive lineup of speakers will examine a wide range of questions and issues:

  • Parents of seriously ill children are often desperate for new therapies, even if in early phase trials. Is truly voluntary consent possible in such a situation?
  • Social media allows researchers to “eavesdrop” on adolescent behavior. Should there be constraints on this type of investigation?
  • Is it ever acceptable to conduct research in developing countries that would be considered inappropriate in the United States?
  • If hospitals set up biobanks for research, what is needed to ensure public trust?

2014 Pediatric Bioethics Conference Presentations

Friday, July 18

Research in the Developing World: Different Ethics or Different Facts?
Norman Fost, MD, MPH
Video  

The Role of Ethics and Ethicists in International Case Studies: A Reflective Equilibrium Approach
Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD
Video  

A Conversation About Ethical Challenges in Pediatric Research
Douglas Diekema, MD, MPH, moderator
Alexander Capron, LLB; Norman Fost, MD, MPH; Steven Joffe, MD, MPH; Nancy Kass, ScD; P. Pearl O’Rourke, MD; Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD 

The SUPPORT Trial and Ethical Issues Raised by Comparative Effectiveness Trials
Nancy Kass, ScD
Video  

Learning Healthcare Systems: Ethically Integrating Research into Pediatric Care
Steven Joffe, MD, MPH
Video  

The Triumph of the Human Spirit: From Auschwitz to Forgiveness
Eva Mozes Kor
Video  

Saturday, July 19

Beyond All or None: Return of Secondary Results from Research and Clinical Exome and Whole Genome Sequencing
Holly Tabor, PhD
Video  

Biobanking: Perks, Promises and Perplexing Problems
P. Pearl O’Rourke, MD
Video  

Young Patients, Age-Old Issues
Alexander Capron, LLB
Video