I have blogged here previously about various Codes of Conduct for Scientists (see Promoting the ethical conduct of Science). This is a short update to add links to a number of other Codes of Conduct, including a recent addition from the European Science Foundation. There is no particular selection criteria in operation regarding the Codes [...]
What IS the most important scientific breakthrough of last fifty years?
It seems odd to accuse the BBC of “hiding” a television programme in a prime time slot on their flagship channel, but amidst the hype for their Christmas schedule I saw no advertising whatsoever for the latest Robert Winston vehicle How Science Changed Our World (BBC1, 20:00, 23rd December, 60 mins). This is a huge [...]
Obituary: the death of a dear friend?
We are all aware that the UK is in a financial mess and savings need to be made. The nearer the guillotine falls to your areas of interest the more intensely you are going to feel the pain. The tragedy comes when cuts kill off services of genuine merit and value. The recent announcement that [...]
Psychiatry Ethics Film Festival
The sixth Biomedical Ethics Film Festival is taking place at the Edinburgh Filmhouse between 26th and 28th November 2010. Organised by the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, this year’s selection of films and documentaries are focussed on the depiction of psychiatric issues and the associated ethics. The line-up includes: Girl, Interrupted; The Madness of King [...]
Spot the difference
Whilst listening to the Today programme (Radio 4, September 30th 2010) I heard a very interesting piece about the ongoing debate about “Climategate” and dogmatism about climate change. Going later to their Listen again site to bookmark the story on my Delicious account, I noted that the headline didn’t seem to match the sentiment I’d [...]
Discussing Eugenics in Edinburgh
From November 20th to 22nd 2009 I took part in the Bioethics Film Festival at the Edinburgh Filmhouse. Now in its fifth consecutive year, the festival is believed by the organisers to be the only regular film festival on biomedical ethics anywhere in the world. At four sessions over the weekend, screening of the relevant film(s) was [...]
How widespread is scientific misconduct?
From time to time examples of scientific fraud come to light and raise questions about the integrity of scientific endeavour. The most well-known example of recent years must surely be South Korean stem cell biologist Hwang Woo-Suk, whose ground-breaking discoveries in the field of therapeutic cloning were exposed as bogus (In addition to his science [...]
Promoting the ethical conduct of science
Back in 2004, Sir David King (at the time, the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser) initiated a discussion about generating a Code of Conduct for Scientists. The consultation process led, in 2006, to the publication of Rigour, respect and responsibility: a universal ethical code for scientists. None of the contents was particularly surprising or radical but [...]
