Bioethics Student Scholar Forum

As part of the Women’s Bioethics Project’s “Fresh Voices Initiative” we are launching the Bioethics Student Scholar Forum featuring outstanding commentary by bioethics graduate students from around the world. Student scholar Jennifer deSante, University of Pennsylvania, wrote the inaugural commentary. In the wake of Octomom, Jennifer explores whether physicians have an ethical obligation to screen IVF applicants:

Can We Screen IVF Applicants?
The birth of Nadya Suleman’s octuplets captured the interest of the country and media. What began as amazement quickly turned to disbelief, then condemnation, even outrage. Hardly anyone could understand what would motivate a woman to use in vitro fertilization (IVF) to have fourteen children. The media became obsessed with Ms. Suleman: following her around town, releasing child services records, even sending Dr. Phil to her house. As it became clear that this woman had little emotional or financial support to raise these children, people began to attack her for being irresponsible. But how much responsibility falls on the physician that provided Ms. Suleman with her many cycles of IVF?

You can find her provocative and well-written paper here. Congratulations to Jennifer – we welcome your fresh voice to the bioethics dialogue. And many thanks to her bioethics mentor, Arthur Caplan, Ph.D. for recommending Jennifer's work. If you are currently an enrolled bioethics graduate student and would like to have your paper considered for publication, please ask your bioethics mentor to nominate your work by emailing info (at) womensbioethics.org (include paper abstract and contact information.)

Grocery Store Wars, featuring Cuke Skywalker and Obi Wan Cannoli

Ok, in light of all the recent food ethics posts here, other bioethics blogs, and references to Michael Pollan, someone was bound to make a YouTube video that makes fun of the 'ways of the farm' -- you know, the field that gives rise to all things edible. It pits the lovely organic rebel Princess Lettuce against the 'evil' genetically modified Darth Tater:



So go ahead, have a laugh! Who said bioethicists don't have a sense of humor?

On Cloning Monkeys: Quote of the Day

From the Onion this morning: " "I'd better hold my praise until some opinionated monk calls himself a bioethicist and weighs in." For more opinions on cloning monkeys, click here.