Dr Onora O'Neill FBA: Autonomy and Trust in Bioethics

Dr Onora O'Neill gave a Gifford lecture entitled 'Autonomy and Trust in Bioethics'.

Event details

Lecture Series Theme: Autonomy and Trust in Bioethics

Dates: 19, 20, 26, 27 February, 5, 6, 8, 12, 13, 15 March 2001

Lecture abstract

Individual rights and autonomy are now well-accepted goals in medicine and biotechnology, yet distrust and suspicion of doctors and scientists seems to grow. Is the proper remedy for this loss of trust a renewed effort to secure autonomy and rights for patients and others?

Or is loss of trust itself exacerbated by pursuing a questionable conception of autonomy? Could a different approach to bioethics take both autonomy and trust seriously?

In addressing these questions I will discuss numerous current issues in bioethics, such as uses of new reproductive technologies, donation of human tissues, the creation of genetically modified plants and non-medical uses of genetic information.