The NIH and Bioethics: What Should Be Done?

Abstract

Despite the National Institute of Health's (NIH's) long tradition of engagement with and support of bioethics, the current support for bioethics is very small. Accordingly, trained bioethics researchers and bioethicists are in short supply, and fundamental ethical issues that relate to the NIH's mission go unexplored or insufficiently explored. A bioethics initiative with clearly articulated goals is needed, to increase the number and quality of "producer" bioethicists who would undertake innovative research and educate future generations of bioethicists and biomedical investigators. The author articulates a fourfold strategy for increased NIH support of bioethics: (1) educate and mentor sufficient numbers of producer bioethicists in well-designed postdoctoral programs; (2) support junior researchers with an increase in established K awards targeted at bioethics; (3) commit sufficient resources to ensure high-quality empirical and analytical bioethics research; and (4) develop dedicated study sections composed of qualified bioethicists to review bioethics-related grant proposals. An office, center, or authoritative body within the NIH accountable for bioethics-related activities is recommended by the author, to develop a strategic plan and to be accountable for generating high-quality research and scholarship.