January 7, 2025
Laurence Crowley Lecture Series with Professor Judit Sandor
Date: Monday, January 20, 2025
Venue: On-campus, Blackrock
Location: UCD Smurfit School
Lecture Title: The Ethics of Predictive Technologies in Biomedicine
Each year UCD Smurfit School hosts the annual Laurence Crowley Lecture Series. Running since 2014, this year's lecture features Professor Judit Sandor who will speak about The Ethics of Predictive Technologies in Biomedicine.
Abstract
Prediction has always been an important element of medicine and health care. While prediction has been based traditionally on past experience and existing case studies in health care, it is more future oriented today and works with various degrees of presumption. The Human Genome Project allowed for an increasing use of genetic tests, for the analysis and interpretation of big data within biobanks, for the application of diagnostic laser, artificial intelligence, and several other prediction technologies in healthcare. The use of these emerging technologies in human reproduction, therapy and biomedical research has expanded rapidly. But what are the ethical challenges of using these technologies in health care? Should we reinterpret the standards of informed consent? What is the role of genetic consultation today? How and to what extent uncertainty should be communicated to patients? How should digital healthcare be personalized? Technoethics, together with bioethics, should be integrated into the rapidly developing field of predictive medicine. The presentation will explore the possibilities and consequences of this integration.