Perspectives on Engaging the Public in the Ethics of Emerging Biotechnologies: From Salmon to Biobanks to Neuroethics

Abstract

In anticipation of increasing interest in public engagement, this article seeks to expand the current discussion in the neuroethics literature concerning what public engagement on issues related to neuroscience might entail and how they could be envisioned. It notes that the small amount of available neuroethics literature related to public engagement has principally discussed only communication/education or made calls for dialogue without exploring what this might entail on a practical level. The article links across three seemingly disparate examples—salmon, biobanks, and neuroethics—to consider and clarify the need for public engagement in neuroscience.

Keywords:

• biobanks
• deliberative democracy
• neuroethics
• public engagement
• salmon genomics

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the “deliberative democracy on biobanks” and cGRASP research teams at the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics, which are part of the Genome Canada and Genome BC funded project “Building a GE3LS Architecture.” The work on salmon genomics was funded by cGRASP through Genome Canada.

Notes

¹See, for example: http://groups.takingitglobal.org/MYF08consult; www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/2007-09-05_Authority_Paper_Hybrids_and_Chimeras_Findings_of_the_Consultation_396.pdf; http://europa.eu/sinapse/directaccess/science-and-society/public-debates/nano-recommendation/