Launch of the report: Critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine

17 November 2006

Critical care decisions in fetal and neonatal medicine: ethical issues was launched at a public seminar on 16th November 2006.

The first session saw Working Party members present the findings of the report. This was followed by a general discussion session. 

Around 100 people attended the launch, including doctors, nurses, families, MPs and other policy makers, and representatives of disability and parent groups.

Independent ethics body proposes week-by-week guidelines on treating premature babies

Press Release

15 November 2006

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has set out guidelines on when to give intensive care to extremely premature babies. Advice for parents and doctors is provided, on a week-by-week basis, for treating babies born before 22 weeks up to those born after 25 weeks.

It is extremely rare for babies born before 22 weeks to survive. The Council recommends that intensive care should not be given to these babies at the current time, except as part of a pre-approved research study.

Ethical questions over police use of DNA

Press Release

1 November 2006

A consultation launched today by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics questions whether current laws allowing police to take, store and analyse the DNA of suspects, witnesses and victims should be revised. The Council's study coincides with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, advocating no restrictions on the number of DNA profiles held on the National DNA Database.

Supplement to 1993 Report on Genetic Screening

Press Release

11 August 2006

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has published a Supplement to its report Genetic Screening: ethical issues (1993). It summarises scientific, technological and policy-related developments that have taken place over the past 13 years in the UK.

Nuffield Council seeks views on the ethics of public health

Press Release

19 May 2006

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics today launched a consultation on the ethical issues surrounding public health.

New Council Members appointed

2 May 2006

Three new members have been appointed to the Council: Mr Anatole Kaletsky, Editor at Large of The Times, Dr Rhona Knight, a GP and lecturer, and Professor Hugh Perry, a neuroscientist at Southampton University.

In addition, Professor Sir John Krebs FRS, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, has been co-opted onto the Council for the period of the Working Party on Public health: ethical issues, which he is chairing.

Parliamentary briefing on research involving animals

22 February 2006

MPs, peers and civil servants attended a Parliamentary Briefing organised by the Council in the House of Lords on 18th October 2005.

Baroness Perry of Southwark chaired the event and Dr Timothy Morris, Professor Jonathan Wolff, Professor Bob Combes and Ms Michelle Thew presented the findings of the Report and took questions from the audience.