Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of moral values and codes in relation to biotechnology research and its applications.
In simple terms, ethical analyses help us to determine whether a particular course of action is morally right or wrong.
Ethical issues are commonly evaluated against one or more ethical framework, such as rights and responsibilities, benefits and harms, freedom of choice or virtue.
Get information sheet: Frameworks for ethical analysis
Ethics and biotechnology
Modern biotechnology raises ethical issues that need careful appraisal because they can affect human health, society or the environment. Current issues in biotechnology include pre-birth genetic testing, genetic modification, stem cell therapy, xenotransplantation and the use of animals in research.
Bioethics in New Zealand
Toi te Taiao New Zealand's Bioethics Council is the leading forum for bioethical debate in New Zealand. The Bioethics Council ensures that New Zealand biotechnology takes into account the beliefs and values of New Zealanders. Also, it encourages understanding and discussion of the cultural, ethical, spiritual and social implications of any new biotechnologies.
Ethics committees
Ethics committees assess experiments involving humans, animals or their tissues against ethical frameworks.
Animal ethics committees can be found around New Zealand at universities and research institutes that use animals in experiments. For example, at The University of Auckland researchers are using zebrafish to study heritable human diseases. Like any research involving animals, their work is subject to strict ethical scrutiny.
Get information sheet: The ethics of zebrafish research
An animal ethics committee must approve any research using animals or animal tissue for scientific experiments before it is allowed to proceed.
Get video: Bioethics and biotechnology research in New Zealand
Ethics in schools
Information about animal and human ethics for school projects is available through the Royal Society of New Zealand. They also run an Animal Ethics Approval committee for teachers, students or schools planning to do any projects that involve animals.
