Obama’s Bioethics Commission Is Official

WASHINGTON (CN) - President Obama has created the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues to advise him on issues in the emerging field of biomedicine and related areas of science and technology.

The executive order was published on Nov. 30, making it official. The commission is to identify and promote policies and practices that ensure scientific research, healthcare delivery and technological innovation are conducted in an ethically responsible manner.

The commission, which will be part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is to examine issues linked to specific technologies, including the creation of stem cells; intellectual property issues involving genetic sequencing, biomarkers, and other screening tests used for risk assessment; and the application of neuroscience- and robotic science to human patients.

Obama also has asked the commission to research broader areas, such as the protection of human research participants, and cooperation between scientists and corporations with regard to scientific integrity and conflicts of interest in research.

The commission is not responsible for the review and approval of specific projects proposed by the HHS or any other government agency. It is authorized to conduct original research, produce commission papers and studies, hold hearings, and develop reports or other materials.

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