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The author reflects on David DeGrazia's, author of the article "Moral Enhancement, Freedom, and What We (Should) Value in Moral Behaviour" criticism of moral bioenhancemnet (MB). The author highlights the claims made by DeGrazia including adults take MB in order to improve motivation and MB acts like irrational prejudice such as racism, sexism or speciesism. The author highlights the drawbacks in DeGrazia's definition of free action.

The article discusses the personal and public responsibilities of ethics and of ethicists in speaking, writing and commenting publicly about issues of ethical, political and social significance. Topics include freedom of speech and of expression, the contribution of the Internet, or cloud, the limitations on these freedoms imposed by the cloud, and the moral equivalence of speech and action.

In this article, the author comments on the report of reseracher P. Littlejohns and his colleagues on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) against charges of ageism. He mentions that Littlejohns entirely miss the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Further the author focuses on the concept of ageing.

In a number of papers, including the one published in this journal, Robert Sparrow has mounted attacks on consequentialism using principally what he takes to be an important fact, which he believes constitutes a reductio ad absurdum of consequentialism in its many forms and of this author's approach to enhancement and disability in particular (see page 276). This fact is the current longer life expectancy of women when compared with men. Here the author argues that Sparrow's arguments and entire approach utterly fail. In doing so the author hopes to shed further light on the role of normalcy, normal species functioning and species-typical functioning in debates about enhancement and disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article takes issue with attacks on consequentialism launched by Robert Sparrow. In various papers Sparrow has sought to show that consequentialism dissolves into a reductio ad absurdum due to the unassailable fact that women have longer life expectancies than men. The author of the present paper makes the case that Sparrow’s arguments and reasoning fail to support his case. In the process the author aims to provide illumination into normalcy, normal species functioning, and species-type functioning as they relate to controversies over disability and enhancement.

The report from the Organ Donation Taskforce looking at the potential impact of an opt-out system for deceased donor organ donation in the UK, published in November 2008, is probably the most comprehensive and systematic inquiry to date into the issues and considerations which might affect the availability of deceased donor organs for clinical transplantation. By the end of a thorough and transparent process, a clear consensus was reached. The taskforce rejected the idea of an opt-out system. In this article we acknowledge the life saving potential of organ transplants and seek to highlight the difficulties that arise when the issue of organ shortage competes with concerns over choice and authorisation in the context of deceased donor organ donation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the work of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence of Great Britain with respect to resource allocation and its use of quality adjusted life years in health economic evaluation. Ways in which quality adjusted life years may be used; Cases in which quality adjusted life years could benefit older patients in a range of treatments; Confusion in the dimensions of quality adjusted life years when choosing between patients rather than treatments.

This paper argues that the HFEA's recent report on sex selection abdicates its responsibility to give its own authentic advice on the matters within its remit, that it accepts arguments and conclusions that are implausible on the face of it and where hey depend on empirical claims, produces no empirical evidence whatsoever, but relies on reckless speculation as to what the "facts" are likely to be. Finally, having committed itself to what I call the "democratic presumption", that human freedom will not be constrained unless very good and powerful reasons can be produced to justify such infringement of liberty, the HFEA simply reformulates the democratic presumption as saying the opposite-namely that freedom may only be exercised if powerful justifications are produced for any exercise of liberty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author offers criticisms to the British Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) report "Sex Selection: options for regulations." He considers flow cytometry as a method of sex selection. A discussion on the development of legislative and regulatory options governing sex selection is highlighted.

Challenges and seeks to reverse the presumption against medical research. Examples of extreme medical arrogance and paternalism; Knowledge of connections between diet, exercise, and heart disease; Concept of mandatory contribution to public goods.

Cameron and Williamson have provided a provocative and timely review of the ethical questions prompted by the birth of Dolly. The question Cameron and Williamson seek to address is "In the world of Dolly, when does a human embryo acquire respect?" Their initial discussion sets the scene by providing a valuable overview of attitudes towards the embryo, summarising various religious, scientific, and philosophical viewpoints. They then ask, "What has Dolly changed?" and identify five changes, the first being that fertilisation is no longer required to create an embryo. Following this analysis they then ask when an embryo created other than by fertilisation begins to acquire respect. This paper explores the ethical and legal issues highlighted by Cameron and Williamson's paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Argues that cadaver organs should be automatically available for people who need organ transplant. Similarity between automatic cadaver donation and jury service; Main objectives to the proposal that cadaver organ be automatically available.

This paper discusses the role of consent in decision making generally and its role in end of life decisions in particular. It outlines a conception of autonomy which explains and justifies the role of consent in decision making and criticises some misapplications of the idea of consent, particular the role of fictitious or "proxy" consents. Where the inevitable outcome of a decision must be that a human individual will die and where that individual is a person who can consent, then that decision is ethical if and only if the individual consents. In very rare and extreme cases such a decision will be ethical in the absence of consent where it would be massively cruel not to end life in order to prevent suffering which is in no other way preventable. Where, however, the human individual is not a person, as is the case with abortion, the death of infants like Mary (one of the conjoined twins in a case discussed in the paper), or in the very rare and extreme cases of those who have ceased to be persons like Tony Bland, such decisions are governed by the ethics of ending the lives of non-persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My critics in this symposium illustrate one principle and three fallacies of disability studies. The principle, which we all share, is that all persons are equal and none are less equal than others. No disability, however slight, nor however severe, implies lesser moral, political or ethical status, worth or value. This is a version of the principle of equality. The three fallacies exhibited by some or all of my critics are the following: (1) Choosing to repair damage or dysfunction or to enhance function, implies either that the previous state is intolerable or that the person in that state is of lesser value or indicates that the individual in that state has a life that is not worthwhile or not thoroughly worth living. None of these implications hold. (2) Exercising choice in reproduction with the aim of producing children who will be either less damaged or diseased, or more healthy, or who will have enhanced capacities, violates the principle or equality. It does not. (3) Disability or impairment must be defined relative either to normalcy, "normal species functioning" or "species typical functioning". It is not necessarily so defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is there such a thing as a social conception of disability? Recently two writers in this journal have suggested not only that there is a coherent social conception of disability but that all non-social conceptions, or "medical models" of disability are fatally flawed. One serious and worrying dimension of their claims is that once the social dimensions of disability have been resolved no seriously "disabling" features remain. This paper examines and rejects conceptions of disability based on social factors but notes that physical and mental conditions which disadvantage the individual have social dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on medical ethics or bioethics. It examines how to start in medical ethics in terms of being its own academic discipline and talks about the use of postgraduate bioethics conferences in this endeavour. It comments on the role of mentoring and coauthoring in academic publishing. It analyzes the concepts of being good and being ethical, and considers the responsibility shared by moral agents.

Discusses an objection to human cloning which appeals to the welfare of the child. How to respond to the interests of people not yet in existence; Paradigmatic examples of the objections to human cloning from child welfare offered by Ruth Deech, chairman of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority; Criticisms against cloning; Conclusion.

The ethical implications of human clones have been much alluded to, but have seldom been examined with any rigour. This paper examines the possible uses and abuses of human cloning and draws out the principal ethical dimensions, both of what might be done and its meaning. The paper examines some of the major public and official responses to cloning by authorities such as President Clinton, the World Health Organisation, the European parliament, UNESCO, and others and reveals their inadequacies as foundations for a coherent public policy on human cloning. The paper ends by defending a conception of reproductive rights of "procreative autonomy" which shows human cloning to be not inconsistent with human rights and dignity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continues the debate between the author and Peter Singer et al started in the volume 21, number three issue of the `Journal of Medical Ethics,' about the ethical respectability of the use of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) in health care allocation. Calculations of probability; Interests of the rational egoist who must choose from behind a veil of ignorance.

Refutes Anne Maclean's mis-statements in her book `The Elimination of morality,' concerning the claims and methodology of consequentialist bioethics. Role of personhood; Existence of some things which are beyond the reach of bioethics because they are beyond reason and rationality; Ability of bioethics to deliver a verdict on moral issues.

Replies to an article by Peter Singer, et al from the June 1995 issue of the `Journal of Medical Ethics' on the use of Quality Adjusted Life-Year (QALY) in health care allocation. Clarification of issues concerning the value of life; Role of hypothetical consent in justifying disposing of the lives of people.

The article discusses the report published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in Great Britain. The report contains the use of the anticancer drug bevacizumab to treat eye diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It provides a comparison between the clinical testing and cost effectiveness of bevacizumab as well as the approved drug ranibizumab. It also argues that F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. should have not prevented the bevacizumab's licensing.

Comments on the proposal of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to ban the distribution of drugs for the treatment of dementia to National Health Service patients in Great Britain. Reason behind their proposal; Possible effects of the proposal on thousands of Alzheimer's patients; Decision of NICE to launch a public consultation document on its guidelines on social value judgments.

Comments on the reaction of Tom Baldwin, Deputy Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in Great Britain, on sex selection. Complaints of Baldwin against the comments of author John Harris on HFEA inquiry; Effects of sex selection on children; Reasons for using sex selection in the discussion of genetic determination.

The article focuses on the comments of Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) deputy chairman Tom Baldwin to the author's report on sex selection. Issues concerning the theoretical risks of DNA damage arising from flow cytometry are outlined. According to the author, there is no emperical evidence suggesting that sex selection is harmful to selected children.

Comments on the study conducted by Julian Savulescu on the rationality and obligations of doctors and the significance of genetic relatedness. Brief review of the doctor's obligation to patient's health; Rationality of physicians on patient's wellbeing.

The author comments on the place of moral enhancement in the field of bioethics. It is stated that, although the concept of moral enhancement which calls for making people better by improving their health, and other desirable qualities has attracted attention, it is practically difficult to implement it. However, as stated, researches have shown that promoting prosocial behaviour, which includes aversion to causing direct harm to others, helps in achieving moral enhancement.

The article reflects on the ethical significance of research that produced induced pluripotent cells (iPCs) that is similar to human embryonic stem cells (hESC). It comments on the assumption that the derivation of stem cells without the use of eggs or destruction of embryos solves all the major ethical issues pertaining to stem cell research. It notes that it would affect scientific progress and human welfare if priority-setting in science were dictated by the degree of opposition to a particular practice.

Discusses the controversy on assisted reproductive technological blunders (ARTB). Increase of ARTB cases in Great Britain; Questions about genetic origins; Genetic relatedness between adults and children.

Proposes the creation of a human organ market from living donors. Suggestion to safeguard organ market against exploitation; Ethical and regulatory concerns on buying and selling organs; Statistics on organ donors and transplantation; Risk of live donation.

This paper discusses the provocative views of Skene and Parker as to the role of religious or other ideologically based interest groups in law and policy making. We draw distinctions between doctrine and prejudice and between argument and ideology which we trust take the debate further. Finally we recommend an ethereal, democratic, and populist partial solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Editorial. Focuses on the general view that presumed consent legislation increases the yield of cadaver organs for transplantation. First point to note about the presumed consent; Views on the meaning of presumed consent.

Comments on an article by Daniel Sumasy and Jeremy Sugarman published in the December 1994 issue of the `Journal of Medical Ethics' on the moral difference between withholding and withdrawing treatment. Misunderstanding of the historical entitlement theory; Physician's automatic preference to the first patient.

An abstract for the article is presented that focuses on the author's response to criticism of his article on life expectancy advantages of women.

An introduction is presented in which the editors discuss streamlined publication, transparency in organizations, and bioethics.

The article offers information on the consensus statement and changes to the medical ethics and law for medical students in Great Britain. It features the changes to the improved consensus statement, curriculum components, ethics and law. Moreover, it unveils the ways on how the periodical handles the papers published in the periodical.

The article discusses the cost effectiveness of health benefits offered in Great Britain. To have an idea on the gains made and the gains forgone, NICE should know accurately which gains have foregone. According to Claxton and Culyer, neither NICE or any decision making entity can know which NHS activities will be under their guidance or if these decisions will forego any specific benefit. It is also noted that NICE is making decisions that is based on the moral evaluation and cost effectiveness of alternative resources.

Asserts that the attempts of the anonymous group People Against Eugenics to stifle legitimate academic debate about ethical issues in medicine must be strongly resisted by the ethics community. Highlights of the conference; Significance of an open debate in medical ethics; Reasons for the inconsistency of the position taken by the group against eugenics.

Provides information on the changes in the "Journal of Medical Ethics" as of August 2004, including the appointment of Søren Holm and John Harris as editors-in-chief.

Presents a reply to the commentary about the proposed market in donor organ. Ethical issue in organ sale; Goal of the proposal.

Debates on the idea of benefits to the subject compensating to the disadvantages of physical and cognitive disability. Discussion on the context of disability; Arguments on balance in disability.

Medical Ethics has many unsung heros and heroines. Here we celebrate one of these and on telling part of her story hope to place modern medical ethics and bioethics in the UK more centrally within its historical and human contex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Ethics has many unsung heros and heroines. Here we celebrate one of these and on telling part of her story hope to place modern medical ethics and bioethics in the UK more centrally within its historical and human contex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors focus on several facts related to the journal and its special publication "Medical Humanities" and discuss the contribution of the London Medical Group (LMG) in England in the development of the journal. They inform that the journal has been first published in 1975 and Alastair Campbell has been selected as editor-in-chief for the journal. They mention that conferences organised by the LMG provided research papers, which were then published in the journal.