Penn Medical Ethics and Health Policy

Virtual, via Zoom

Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "What Does Diversity Mean in Biomedicine?" led by Catherine Lee, PhD

Learn More 2025-01-28 12:00:00 2025-01-28 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "What Does Diversity Mean in Biomedicine?" led by Catherine Lee, PhD What Does Diversity Mean in Biomedicine? Catherine Lee, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Sociology Rutgers University Celebrations of “diversity” abound in 21st century United States, from universities to Fortune 500 companies. While there have been numerous studies of what this implies for institutions such as higher education, there has been far less attention paid to what diversity means in U.S. biomedicine. This is an unfortunate oversight for the field of biomedicine plays a unique role in shaping cultural and political notions of inclusion and representation in addition to social, as well as biological, meanings of difference—all of which have consequences for how we deal with issues such as racial or ethnic health inequalities. A crucial question we must first address is what diversity means in biomedicine. Dr. Lee draws upon data from interviews with individuals in biomedical research, healthcare delivery, and pharmaceutical development as well as computational text analysis of two million abstracts of biomedical research articles to investigate how diversity is defined and used. Dr. Lee will explore how and why reference to diversity has grown, whether diversity is replacing race as some sociologists have argued, and what diversity talk and projects suggest for how we address health inequities, social justice, and the meaning of biocitizenship. Virtual, via Zoom Virtual, via Zoom Penn Medical Ethics

February

11

Hybrid: RCH B102AB, Richards Bldg., 3700 Hamilton Walk (and virtual via Zoom)

Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS): "Enabling Genetic Research with Diverse Ancestral Populations" with Kayte Spector-Bagdady, JD, MBe

Learn More 2025-02-11 12:00:00 2025-02-11 13:00:00 America/New_York Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS): "Enabling Genetic Research with Diverse Ancestral Populations" with Kayte Spector-Bagdady, JD, MBe Enabling Genetic Research with Diverse Ancestral Populations Kayte Spector-Bagdady, JD, MBE Associate Professor Interim Co-Director, Ctr. for Bioethics & Social Sciences in Medicine University of Michigan Genetic researchers must have access to databases populated with diverse ancestral groups to ensure that research is generalizable to, or targeted for, historically excluded communities. This presentation will present mixed methods data exploring differences between private, government, and consortium data stewards and how they impact the generalizability of genetic research; assessing the impact of these differences on academic genetic research; and identifying areas for improvement for increased use of diverse ancestral populations. Professor Kayte Spector-Bagdady is interim Co-Director at the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine. The goal of her work is improving the governance of secondary research with health data and specimens. Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: RCH B102AB, Richards Bldg., 3700 Hamilton Walk (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics

February

18

Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom)

Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "Financialization and Health: The Hep C case and Beyond" led by Victor Roy, MD, PhD

Learn More 2025-02-18 12:00:00 2025-02-18 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "Financialization and Health: The Hep C case and Beyond" led by Victor Roy, MD, PhD Financialization and Health: The Hep C case and Beyond Victor Roy, MD, PhD Assistant Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania How can we make sense of the rising role of financial actors and logics in the U.S. health system and its consequences? To answer this question, this talk will apply sociological analysis of so-called "financialization" in the broader economy to cases in health and raise questions about assets and ownership, value and valuation, and hegemonic knowledge practices. The talk will draw on his book-length project Capitalizing a Cure: How Finance Controls the Price and Value of Medicines (2023, University of California Press), which focused on pricing and valuation of curative hepatitis C medicines, and a co-authored perspective piece "The Financialization of Health in the United States" (2024, New England Journal of Medicine). Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics

February

25

Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom)

Penn Bioethics Seminar (PBS): "Embedding Ethics into Bioengineering Education" with Brit Shields, PhD

Learn More 2025-02-25 12:00:00 2025-02-25 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar (PBS): "Embedding Ethics into Bioengineering Education" with Brit Shields, PhD Embedding Ethics into Bioengineering Education Brit Shields, PhD Senior Lecturer, Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science University of Pennsylvania This talk will foster a discussion on pedagogical strategies for developing ethics curricula tailored to bioengineering students. It will highlight the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Bioengineering’s Engineering Ethics Initiative, which aims to embed ethics into core technical courses. This initiative is designed to prepare graduates for responsible leadership in industry and engineering practice by equipping them with the tools to identify and address societal concerns effectively. Within the context of their technical training, students gain discipline-specific knowledge and skills, including principles of bioethics, proactive ethical design frameworks, regulatory and legal considerations, funding structures, and awareness of unintended consequences, among others. The initiative is a collaboration involving interdisciplinary faculty and Engineering Ethics Fellows with expertise spanning Bioengineering, History and Sociology of Technology, and Legal Studies. Professor Shields is a historian and sociologist of science, mathematics and technology. She researches and writes about the cultural history of scientific communities, institutions and ideas. Her work focuses on the profound reciprocal relationship between, on the one hand, science, mathematics and technology, and on the other hand, our society and cultural norms. More detail to follow. Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics

February

27

Colonial Penn Center Auditorium

HP/LDI Research Seminar: Bocar Bo, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics, Duke University

Learn More 2025-02-27 12:00:00 2025-02-27 13:00:00 America/New_York HP/LDI Research Seminar: Bocar Bo, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics, Duke University Bocar Ba, PhD, Assistant Professor, Economics, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, Duke University Topic: “Understanding Demand for Police Alternatives.” Abstract: In a series of experiments, we present evidence of bipartisan public demand for police alternatives, contrasted with persistent policy resistance from key stakeholders. First, our survey experiment demonstrates that introducing U.S. respondents to dontcallthepolice.com (DCTP), a database of non-governmental emergency response options, significantly reduces reliance on police for nonviolent situations. However, this effect does not extend to violent scenarios where no police substitutes exist. Second, our follow-up survey reveals enduring impacts, including heightened recall of the 988 hotline as an alternative during suicidal crises. Third, our field experiment and qualitative interviews find police resistance to embracing DCTP, despite widespread public support for nonviolent police substitutes. Bio: Dr. Bocar Ba is a labor economist and assistant professor at Duke University, who specialized in police accountability. His work takes a close look at where breakdowns happen in the criminal justice system, following cases from arrests to depositions. Using insight from labor economics literature, he seeks to understand police use of force, overall police officer behavior and what cities want from their local law enforcement. His research, funded by the Russell Sage Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Pipeline Grant, has been featured in the Journal of Labor Economics, American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Urban Economics, and more. Dr. Ba earned his bachelor’s in economics and finance at the Université du Québec à Montréal and master’s in economics at the University of British Columbia. He completed his Ph.D. in public policy at the University of Chicago in 2018. Register to attend here: https://share.hsforms.com/1n7lAVdWqScCDhr6_tWxJQA5gwp1. Colonial Penn Center Auditorium Penn Medical Ethics

March

11

Hybrid: RCH B102AB, Richards Bldg., 3700 Hamilton Walk (and virtual via Zoom)

Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS): "Ethical Considerations in Research with Vulnerable Populations"

Learn More 2025-03-11 12:00:00 2025-03-11 13:00:00 America/New_York Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS): "Ethical Considerations in Research with Vulnerable Populations" Ethical Considerations in Research with Vulnerable Populations Emily Largent, JD, PhD, RN Chief, Division of Medical Ethics Associate Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy University of Pennsylvania Emily Largent (she/her) is the Emanuel and Robert Hart Associate Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy and the Chief of the Division of Medical Ethics. She holds a secondary appointment at Penn Law, is a Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and is affiliated with the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics. Dr. Largent’s work explores ethical and regulatory aspects of human subjects research as well the social, legal, and ethical considerations that arise when research findings are translated into care. More detail to follow. Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: RCH B102AB, Richards Bldg., 3700 Hamilton Walk (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics

March

13

1104 Blockley Hall

Health Policy Research Seminar: Garth Graham, MD, MPH, FACC, Director and Global Head, Healthcare and Public Health, Google /YouTube

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March

25

Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom)

Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "The Ethics of Normothermic Regional Perfusion" led by Jake Greenblum, PhD and Tim Aylsworth, PhD

Learn More 2025-03-25 12:00:00 2025-03-25 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): "The Ethics of Normothermic Regional Perfusion" led by Jake Greenblum, PhD and Tim Aylsworth, PhD The Ethics of Normothermic Regional Perfusion Jake Greenblum, PhD Clinical Ethicist, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Tim Aylsworth, PhD Associate Professor of Philosophy, Florida International University More detail to follow. Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics

April

3

1104 Blockley Hall

Health Policy Research Seminar: Ravi Gupta, MD, Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University

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April

8

Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom)

Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): Doug MacKay, PhD

Learn More 2025-04-08 12:00:00 2025-04-08 13:00:00 America/New_York Penn Bioethics Seminar Series (PBS): Doug MacKay, PhD Douglas MacKay, PhD Associate Professor, Department of Public Policy University of North Carolina Dr. MacKay’s research and teaching interests concern questions at the intersection of justice and public policy. He is currently working on projects concerning the justice of economic inequality – both domestic and global; the ethics of immigration policy; priority setting in health care; the ethics of international clinical research; and justice in the division of responsibilities within federal systems of government. More detail to follow. Lunch provided. Streaming available via Zoom. Hybrid: 1402 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive (and virtual via Zoom) Penn Medical Ethics