Human enhancement

On 11 March, we discussed the ethical challenges of emerging human enhancement technologies, and assessed the current state of the field. We also considered the steps that should be taken to meet ethical challenges in the future. We presented and discussed the new SIENNA-initiated ethics guidelines for human enhancement, the first extended set of guidelines for human enhancement research, development and use that have been proposed.

We also discussed new policy initiatives that are needed for responsible innovation of human enhancement technologies. This includes proposals for a European expert body to assess and guide social, ethical and regulatory aspects of human enhancement. We also highlighted our work on guidance for research funding and research ethics assessment, and flagged the need for further debate regarding the status of human enhancement in relation to the field of medicine.

Ethics guidelines