Author: Rebecca Brown In this post, I consider how moral reasons may be used instrumentally – that is, to bring about some desired end. I take as an example the public debate around reducing meat consumption. I suggest that although animal …

By Brian D. Earp  (@briandavidearp) Readers of the Practical Ethics Blog might be interested in this series of short videos in which I discuss some of the major ongoing problems with research ethics and publication integrity in science and …

by Dominic Wilkinson and Julian Savulescu   On the 24th July 2017, the long-running, deeply tragic and emotionally fraught case of Charlie Gard reached its sad conclusion (Box 1). Following further medical assessment of the infant, Cha…

This afternoon the long-running, deeply tragic and emotionally fraught legal dispute over treatment of Charlie Gard reached its sad and sadly inevitable conclusion. Following further medical assessment of Charlie by several international ex…

Vale Charlie At some point in all of our lives, we have to let go. One can only admire Connie Yates and Chris Gard who fought so hard for Charlie.   However, we should continue to question the original decision, and the way in which th…

By Dominic Wilkinson   Baby C’s parents had done their research. They had read widely about different options for C and had clear views about what they felt would be best for their child. They had asked a number of doctors in this coun…

Guest Post: Nathan Hodson This article originally appeared on the Journal of Medical Ethics Blog  In a recent article in the Journal of Medical Ethics, Neil Levy has developed a concept of “nudges to reason,” offering a new tool for those t…

by Dominic Wilkinson and Julian Savulescu   The case of Charlie Gard has reached its sad conclusion. However, it continues to attract intense public attention. It raises a number of challenging and important ethical questions. The role…

Could genetic engineering one day allow parents to have designer babies? Tatiana Vdb/flickr, CC BY William Isdale, University of Melbourne What if humans are genetically unfit to overcome challenges like climate change and the growing inequ…

In a blog post today, Julian Savulescu argues that in a parallel adult version of the highly controversial Charlie Gard case, a UK court might thwart an unconscious patient’s previously expressed desire for self-funded experimental medical …