Ethics in Biomedical engineering

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Ethics in Biomedical engineering

• By Ryan Ivone

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Introduction

• Goal Use their knowledge, skills, and
  abilities to enhance the safety, health, and
  welfare of the public
• Major advancements artificial organs,
  bioengineered skin, genetic engineering, etc.
• Used for the purposes of rehabilitation, giving
  patients their lives back

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Taking a Step Back

• Used for the right reasons, no doubt helpful to
  society
• Future using this technology for the wrong
  reasons
• Rehabilitation vs human enhancement
• Returning to normal state vs going beyond normal
  state
• Is it ethical?

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Vs.
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Genetic engineering

• Germline engineering Modifying genes in eggs,
  sperm, and embryos
• Leads to inheritable modifications of the genome
  that are passed on to future generations
• Playing God
• Enhancing human traits (intelligence, strength,
  etc)

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Germline Engineering

• Pros

• Cons

• Preventing undesired genes from appearing in
  children
• Enhance certain characteristics of offspring

• Creating the perfect person (reshape society)
• Where does responsibility fall if problems arise

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Tissue Engineering

• Field that aims to restore functioning of tissue
  or whole organs
• Use of human embryonic tissue (stem cells)
• Controversial cells are harvested from human
  embryos, which are destroyed in the process
• Worry of large scale cultivation of human embryos
  specifically for this purpose

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Prostheses/implants

• Use synthetic material to create artificial limbs
  
• Interface with biological systems
• Rehabilitation engineering - developing
  technological solutions for problems of people
  with disabilities and function impairments

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Prostheses/implants

• Ethical part human, part machine
• Involves use of addition of artificial
  structures and systems to human biology
• Cybercrime hacking devices using Bluetooth
  (lethal dose insulin to diabetics)
• Raises questions
• Should certain organs not be replaced by
  artificial systems? (loss of identity)
• In the future, will people want to replace
  healthy organs/limbs for better artificial
  versions?

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Imaging and optics

• Application of engineering methods to detect and
  visualize biological processes
• Obvious benefits early detection diseases
• Diagnostic imaging concerns
• Diseases may be revealed that were not under
  investigation or for which no therapy is
  available
• Conditions may become visible that indicate an
  increased probability to develop a disease

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Imaging AND OPTICS

• Raises question
• Would you want to know how much time you have
  left to live?
• Ethical data manipulation of imaging
• Images are expected to be truthful and reliable
• Some imaging operations necessary (brightness and
  contrast)
• What imaging operations are permissible?
• How much of this information needs to be
  disclosed?

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Neural Engineering

• Goal - study and manipulate the central or
  peripheral nervous systems
• Restoration and augmentation of human function
• Neuralprosthetics - neural prostheses are
  developed to replace/improve neural function of
  an impaired nervous system
• Brain-computer interfaces - external computing
  devices hooked up to the brain, signals can be
  exchanged

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Neural Engineering

• Ethical concerns -
• Integrity/dignity of person affect personal
  identity
• Making human brain partially artificial humans
  into cyborg
• Individual autonomy undermined
• Neural device control cognition, mood, behavior,
  etc.
• Moral responsibility
• Can humans still be held responsible despite
  having artificial influence?
• Neuroenhancement Should devices be used to
  allow humans to have superior perception,
  cognition/motor control, or positive
  moods/attitudes

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Recap

• Advances in biomedical engineering are no doubt
  helpful to many people around the world
• Fine line between rehabilitation and enhancement
• Need to keep in mind these ethical concerns as
  engineers
• Responsibility to
• Act in the best interest of society
• Remain honest (free of conflict of interest,
  bribery, etc.)

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Any Questions