This project will support the 6th International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering that will be hosted by The SUNY Downstate Medical Center in collaboration with the Polytechnic Institute of New York and New York Academy of Sciences during April 1-3, 2011. The conference will bring together faculty, researchers and students in the rapidly growing interdisciplinary field of biomedical engineering to discuss the challenging ethical issues faced by biomedical engineers in their research and practice. Biomedical engineering is responsible for many of the dramatic advances in modern medicine. However, biomedical technology has also contributed to dilemmas and has challenged some of our moral values. These include ethical issues in stem cell research & cloning, conflicts of interest, allocation of scarce resources, research misconduct, animal experimentation, clinical trials and marketing of new medical devices and many other new emerging issues. Research and development executives from biomedical companies will also be invited. International participants will also be welcomed to present papers at this conference. The goal of this conference will be to present an overview and an in-depth discussion of the ethical issues encountered in bioengineering research and practice that are presently being conducted at various institutions and biomedical industry.
The conference is expected to have a broad spectrum of attendees (faculty, scientists, philosophers, students, physicians, lawyers and industry representatives).
Sixth International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering Annual reports The Sixth International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering was held on April 1-3, 2011 at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU), in Brooklyn, New York. SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, and The New York Academy of Sciences sponsored this conference. This conference was co-sponsored by the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art; New York University College of Dentistry; International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE); Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society; Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS); and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). This conference was also endorsed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Inc. USA (IEEE – USA) and supported by grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Traveling from many states in the US and from several countries around the world, this conference was attended by biomedical engineering, students, bioengineering faculty, practicing biomedical engineers, scientists, physicians, clinicians, philosophers, lawyers, and representatives from industry to discuss the important ethical issues that we face as a society as advancements in the biomedical engineering field continue to be made (Fig. 1-6). This well attended event featured 58 abstracts covering a wide range of topics that addressed ethical issues and controversies regarding the development of new devices, medical implants and drugs. The papers were presented in seven sessions. Advances in Biomedical Technology: Ethical Concerns I Medical Practice and Ethics Regenerative Medicine, Nanotechnology and Ethics Symposium: Ethical Issues in Dentistry Advances in Biomedical Technology and Ethical Concerns Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering The conference included keynote lectures, workshop, and presentations by invited speakers and individuals selected from submitted abstracts. Featured highlighted topics included recent advances in (i) regenerative medicine and (ii) nanotechnology and (iii) ethical issues in dentistry. The presented abstracts were published in a special issue of the International Journal of Medical Implants and Devices (Vol. 5, No. 1, 2011). New treatments and technologies emerging from the field of biomedical research have prompted demands for updated ethical guidelines. The Sixth International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering brought together biomedical engineers, clinicians, research scientists, and philosophers, who discussed the design and implementation of new policies and interventions to guide emerging biomedical technologies, biomedical research, and medical practice.
