Ethics for the Biotech Industry 

 
Introduction:
 

This is the home-page for a programme of academic research , directed by Dr. Chris MacDonald at Saint Mary's University (Halifax, Canada). The focus of this project is the investigation of ethical issues in biotechnology through the lenses of business ethics and professional ethics

In fall of 2004, I was awarded a 3-year Ethics Operating Grant by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to support my project entitled "Biotech Ethics: Corporate Decisions as Key to Better Health and Better Health Policy". This work was previously funded by a New Faculty Grant from Saint Mary's University, and by a Capacity Building Grant from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation.

The goal:

To date, most ethical reflection on biotech issues has come from those trained in bioethics. That's important work, because much of biotech is aimed at health care applications. But biotech also poses interesting ethical challenges for biotech corporations and professional challenges for biotech researchers. This project aims to focus on those challenges.

Past Events:

  • "Resolving Social Conflicts over BioEngineered Foods." Ryerson University, October 16, 2008
  • "From Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing to Pricing the New Biologics: Corporate Ethics in the World of Biotechnology," Duke University, September 3, 2008
  • "Biotech Companies and NGO's: Ethical Considerations," University of Montreal, July 17, 2008
  • Public Panel Discussion: "Health, the Humanities, and the Public Good." (April 14, 2005, Halifax.)
  • Public Panel Discussion: "Genes and Profits: Business Ethics for the Life Sciences" (May 6, 2004, Halifax)
  • "Roundtable on Ethical Challenges for Life Science Corporations" (An invitation-only workshop, bringing together academic, government, and industry perspectives) (May 7, Halifax)

Work Published / Presented:

 

About Chris MacDonald...

Resources...

My Biotech Ethics Blog

Genetics & Ethics: Genethics.ca

ResearchEthics.ca

(StemCells.ca)



 

Biotechnology: Ethics and the Industry  
(from Industry Canada)

BioNova: The Nova Scotia Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry Association

Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications 
of Human Genetics Research (ELSI)

Biotech Industry Links

Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in Biotech

"The Stakeholder Concept in Biotechnology," by Chris MacDonald

Chris MacDonald's Business Ethics Blog

More links related to this line of research...