The III Research Colloquium of the Faculty of Bioethics is held

On June 10, the III Research Colloquium of the Faculty of Bioethics was held, which aimed to show the research work of our students, teachers and researchers, in addition to critically discussing them. This event began with the keynote speech by Dr. Karina Ordóñez Torres, a member of the Institute of Bioethics of the Finis Terrae University, Santiago Chile, with the topic "Retraction of scientific articles in indexed journals: causes and reasons".

Graduates from the Faculty of Bioethics established the first Africa Bioethics Network

On May 20th, 2022, the Launch of Africa Bioethics Network was held at KAVI Institute of Clinical Research, University of Nairobi, Kenya. In attendance they had, UNESCO representatives, CLINWIN research, Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative (KAVI), University of Nairobi-UON, St Paul's University, BCA-ETHICS II, Anahuac University, The International Association of Bioethics (IAB), KEMRI and many others with a representation of over 30 countries.

Training in Bioethics and Palliative Care at the "Hermanas del Buen Samaritano I.A.P" Hospital

Our student of the Master's Degree in Bioethics and intern doctor of the Social Service of the Faculty of Bioethics, Dr. Ma. Fernanda Martínez, went last Wednesday, May 25, to the "Hermanas del Buen Samaritano Hospital" to train the staff that makes up the team multidisciplinary of this health care center.

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Editorial number 2, Vol. 33 (2022)

In the Fifth article, Julio Tudela, María Elizabeth de los Ríos and Jhosué Hernández give a detailed description of the main bioethical dilemmas in the care of the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the scarcity of health resources. After analyzing the protocols for the fair distribution of these resources, the authors propose that the criterion of selection based on the chances of survival of the patients is not only the least problematic, but also the most ethical, even if some patients had to be left aside, since this, in principle, was not sought, but merely tolerated for the greater good and under the premise of having sought all possible alternatives to provide care to these patients. The authors point out that criteria other than the objective possibilities of the patients are not only unethical but also discriminatory.

A relevant aspect of this article is the detection of the difficulties encountered in these protocols for referring patients for palliative care, among which are the adequacy of the patients' informed consents, as well as the advance directives, which in Mexico only contemplate their opportunity when a terminal illness is diagnosed. Therefore, it is impossible to apply them in the detection of severe cases of COVID-19, given that this disease, as such, is not a condition declared as terminal.

Other dilemmas presented by the authors that are worth reflecting on and modifying are conscientious objection in cases of health emergencies and the correct application of the adequacy of therapeutic effort in irreversible situations. The article is a good account of the bioethical dilemmas experienced in Mexico, and in other parts of the world, during the pandemic caused by the coronavirus.

The journal Medicine and Ethics of the Faculty of Bioethics is indexed in Dialnet

The Medicine and Ethics journal of our Faculty of Bioethics was indexed in the Dialnet database, one of the most extensive bibliographic portals and whose main objective is to publicize Hispanic scientific literature focused on human, legal and social sciences with high quality standards.

CONBIOETHICS RESOURCES: May Catalog 2022

List of our agreements

Leon Budrie

What I am doing as a Bioethicist that I would like to share?

1. How have your studies in bioethics complemented your professional and personal life?

My bioethics studies have impacted both my professional and personal life quite significantly. On a personal level, it has forced me to consider the way I approach ethical issues and gain a better understanding of why I believe what I believe. In some ways it has also changed my mind on some topics that I previously considered differently. In my professional life, the Masters has created opportunities for individual and collaborative research at my current institution. Additionally it has pushed me to pursue further training in clinical ethics. After completing the program, I applied and was accepted to a 2 year clinical ethics followship at Baylor College of Medicine, which starts July 2022.

2. Are you currently working on a project related to bioethics?

I am currently contributing to a book chapter on physicians’ ethical/moral obligations to environmental activity.

3. Do you have any publication in bioethics/ethics?

Yes, this publication: Budrie, L., & Narinesingh, A. (2022). Locked out: An ethical analysis of Trinidad and Tobago's COVID-19 border closure. Ethics, medicine, and public health, 20, 100749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemep.2021.100749

4. Do you belong or are you a member of any association/committee related to bioethics/ethics? Which one? Since when?

I am a member of the Bioethics Society of the English Speaking Caribbean (BSEC) and recently joined Institutional Review Board at my current institution, St. George’s University.

5. Do you recommend the postgraduate program you were part of? What was your experience?

My experience with the M.S. in Global Bioethics was excellent. The program was comprehensive in its scope, covering diverse areas from a truly global perspective. The greatest strength of the program for me was student body. I was able to collaborate with and learn from students from various parts of the world which has enriched my understanding of the different cultures they represent.

The diversity among my peers as well as the broad exposure in the learning materials truly achieved the program’s objectives of developing capacity for an international and cross-cultural dialogue. I would highly recommend this program for anyone seeking instruction in bioethics from a global perspective.

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