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Biobanks, genomics, and research: a nightmare for public policy makers? / Alex Mauron -- Biobanks in the literature / Bartha Maria Knoppers and Maøn H. Abdul-Rahman -- Guidelines on biobanks: emerging consensus and unresolved controversies / Effy Vayena, Agomoni Ganguli-Mitra, and Nikola Biller-Andorno -- Ethical issues regarding research biobanks: aims, methods, and main results of a qualitative study among international and US experts / Nikola Biller-Andorno ... [et al.] -- The results of the interviews: consensus and unresolved controversies among international and US experts concerning research involving genetic databases / Bernice Elger, Agononi Ganguli-Mitra, Andrea Boggio -- Towards an international framework: results of a meeting of an international group of scholars and scientists involved in legal and practical issues of biobanks / Alex Mauron -- Biobanks and genomic research: what shape the future? / Alex Capron

"This volume recognizes and addresses the health care issues of prisoners, to establish best practices and to learn about approaches to these challenges from around the world. It presents new evidence on several emerging and classical prison health issues. The first goal of this volume is to address emerging issues related to health in prison. Second, it presents the most recent research-based evidence and translates it to the practice. The third goal, is that it allows for sufficient diversity while also incorporating updates of some important already recognized prison health. The volume discusses prisons and the life and well-being of prisoners and staff, after growing problems as drug misuse (incl. tobacco smoking), infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, STIs and TB), psychiatric problems, inadequate and unhealthy living conditions (incl. nutrition), overcrowding of prisons. These are addressed adequately in order to meet the international requirements of equivalence of health care. The scope of this volume is at the same type specific and diverse enough to cover the interests of a large audience that includes many types of practitioners involved in health-related issues in the field of prison health care, such as psychologists, nurses and prison administration officers responsible for health care, legal professionals and social workers"--Provided by publisher.

Molecular Systems Engineering (MSE) is a paradigm shift in both engineering and life sciences. While the field is still in its infancy the perspectives of MSE in revolutionising technology is promising. MSE will offer a wide range of applications in clinical, biotechnological and engineering fields while simultaneously posing serious questions on the ethical and societal aspects of such technology. The moral and societal aspects of MSE need systematic investigation from scientific and social perspectives. In a democratic setting, the societal outcomes of MSE's cutting-edge technology need to be consulted and influenced by society itself. For this purpose MSE needs inclusive public engagement strategies that bring together the public, ethicists, scientists and policy makers for optimum flow of information that maximizes the impact of public engagement. In this report we present an MSE consortium and its ethics framework for establishing a proactive approach in the study of the ethics of MSE technology.

Die Beiträge dieses Sammelbandes gehen aus einer Ringvorlesung im Frühjahrssemester 2013 an der Universität Basel hervor. Die Herausgeberinnen und Herausgeber, tätig in der Bioethik, der Philosophie, der Theologie und in der Rechtswissenschaft, konnten Kolleginnen und Kollegen aus Basel und anderen Universitäten aus diesen und weiteren Fächern, wie der Wirtschaftswissenschaft oder der Religionswissenschaft, zur Teilnahme an der Ringvorlesung gewinnen. Die vielfältige Themenpalette der Beiträge reicht von philosophischen Fragen der Verbindung von Ethik und Ästhetik im Zusammenhang mit dem Umweltschutz über die Umweltökonomie und theologische und religionswissenschaftliche Bezüge auf eine Schöpfungsbewahrung bis hin zur kontroversen Debatte darüber, wem gegenüber der Mensch moralisch verantwortlich sei: nur dem Menschen (Anthropozentrismus) oder auch gegenüber nichtmenschlichen Lebewesen mit Empfindungsfähigkeit (Pathozentrismus) oder allen lebenden Wesen (Biozentrismus) oder sogar gegenüber der Natur insgesamt (Holismus). Die theoretischen Reflexionen zu diesen und weiteren Themen finden hierbei einen Rückbezug auf ihre praktischen Anwendungsbereiche – (etwa) von der Biodiversität über Landschaftsschutz und Städtebau bis zum Heimatgefühl.InhaltsübersichtBruno Baur: Wer trägt die Verantwortung für die Erhaltung der Biodiversität? – Andreas Brenner: Das große Wesen achten. Ecocid-Act und Gaia-Theorie – Hartmut Leser: Herren und Meister der Natur und Umwelt: Maßlosigkeit oder Zukunftssicherung? – Dargestellt am Beispiel der sogenannten »Zwischenstadt« – Georg Pfleiderer: Natur als »Schöpfung«? Zu Problematik und Produktivität theologischer Umweltethik – Dietmar von der Pfordten: Naturschutz jenseits des Menschen - Silvia Tobias/Corinna Jung/Franz Conen/Christine Alewell: Kreislaufwirtschaft im Bodenverbrauch: Ein richtiger Weg zur nachhaltigen Bodennutzung – Markus Vogt: Ökologische Humanität. Elemente einer Grundlegung der Umweltethik – Carl Friedrich Gethmann: Naturveränderung und Natur-Heimatrecht. Normative Fragen der Strukturveränderung des ländlichen Raumes – Angelika Krebs: »Und was da war, es nahm uns an.« Landschaft, Stimmung und Heimat – Andreas Dietrich: Der Garten – heilig oder profan? Zur Kulturgeschichte eines exemplarischen Stücks Landschaft in umweltethischer Perspektive – Daniela Demko: »Eigenwert der Natur« und »Würde« als Fragen der Umweltethik

ZusammenfassungDas Projekt Agequake II erhob Daten zur psychischen Gesundheit älterer inhaftierter Personen in der Schweiz, evaluierte die aktuelle Situation deren psychiatrischer Versorgung und untersuchte Optionen zu ethischen, rechtlichen und wirtschaftlichen Lösungen in Bezug auf altersbedingte Probleme. Agequake, benannt nach dem Phänomen der rapide wachsenden Anzahl älterer inhaftierter Personen, ist somit eines der wenigen Forschungsprojekte, das Daten zu der älteren Gefängnispopulation liefert und Ergebnisse zur Erweiterung des Wissens über diese wenig erforschte Gruppe beisteuert. Die Ergebnisse tragen zum besseren Verständnis der Lebensrealitäten gefangener älterer Personen bei, bieten Strategien zur Verbesserung derer physischer und psychischer Gesundheitsversorgung und zur Verringerung der Belastung des Gefängnispersonals und der größeren Öffentlichkeit.

Predictive genetic testing often entails challenging decisions about preventive measures and uncertain healthrelated risk predictions. Because of its increasing availability, it is important to assess how to debate it publicly. Newspaper content analysis represents a common and reliable way to investigate public discourse retrospectively. We thus quantitatively compare broadsheet newspaper coverage about predictive genetic testing in the United Kingdom and Switzerland during the period of 2011–2016 regarding content, evaluations, stakeholder influence, and trigger events. British coverage was more extensive and positive and included more personal stories. Swiss coverage had more focus on political issues. Angelina Jolie's announcement about her double mastectomy was the most important coverage trigger. Researchers were the most frequently cited stakeholder group, but stakeholders from government and civil society were also represented. Our results thus reflect a movement toward a more active public engagement with predictive genetic testing. The findings help to improve and enrich public engagement regarding predictive genetic testing.

BACKGROUND: The availability of palliative care facilities for children vary considerably among the European member states. In Romania, a country where health expenditure is among the lowest in Europe, palliative care has been mainly provided by charitable organizations. Despite the high number of children needing palliative care, there is scant literature and research available on paediatric palliative care in Romania. The study explores the viewpoints of various paediatric oncology providers with regard to paediatric palliative care provision in Romania. METHODS: Four mixed focus groups were conducted at four university-affiliated paediatric oncology centres located in three distinct Romanian regions (Bucuresti-llfov, Nord-Est and Nord-Vest). The focus groups were analyzed using thematic coding. RESULTS: For many healthcare professionals, emotional burden inherent to the profession; unhealthy work-life balance and understaffing were among the biggest barriers to the successful integration of pediatric palliative care. The lack of staff was attributed to a shortage of financial resources, and to the persisting cultural stigma surrounding palliative care and oncology. Also political turmoil was identified as an important obstacle to palliative care implementation. CONCLUSION: Significant barriers persist limiting the broader implementation of pediatric palliative care in Romania. In order to render palliative care in pediatric oncology more sustainable, more attention should be paid to the mental health care of healthcare professionals working in this field, to the development of mobile palliative care services and to the emigration of skilled medical staff.