In our pursuit of a good life (eubios), both individuals and societies, need to educate themselves on the pursuit of love of life in all domains, self-love, love of others, loving good and love of life. In this paper I reflect on my own journey through growing up in Christchurch, and experiences around the world, that are the basis for that conclusion. In our efforts to pursuit bioethics education we can enhance peaceful and harmonius coexistence in our world, through nurturing (...) good decisions that we should all make. (shrink)

This survey has been designed as a multinationalcollaboration to collect data from several countries focusing ondeveloping countries. The main purpose was to elaborate thefunctions of ethics committees regarding externally-sponsoredresearch . In March 2004 a total of 89 open-endedquestionnaires were sent to ethics review committees inmedical schools, medical research institutes and hospitalsaffiliated to the public and private medical universities inJapan.Twenty two ECs replied , and among them five ECshad reviewed eleven ESR proposals in 2002-3. Five of thoseESR proposals have been approved (...) and four proposals havebeen approved after some revisions. Two proposals weredeferred but not resumed. In their review, respondents weremore concerned about “individual consent” than “communityconsent”. Post-trial access to effective interventions was not areal concern. As for “Standard of care”, seven ECs replied thatthey review the ESR proposal based on the internationalstandards and four based on the local standards. WhetherESR proposal is matched with the national health prioritieswas not a great concern. Respondents expressed theirconcern about socio-cultural issues.Ethics in research especially dealing with externallysponsoredresearch is a relatively new subject and underdevelopment in Japan. Although Japan is not a developingcountry, in order to protect individual human subjects and localcommunity, capacity building in ethics review especially inresearch collaboration with other developed and developingcountries is crucial and it has to be included in ethics inresearch programs through out the country. (shrink)

Youth constitute one third of total population in Nepal. This paper looks at the work and motivation of youth volunteers in disaster management in Nepal in order to evaluate how these ideas and values among the youth played roles in the re-construction of the Nation from the 2015 Earthquake. The study used primary data through group interviews with volunteers of Youth’s UNESCO Club in Kathmandu city who were actively involved in disaster-relief programs at Sindhupalchowk, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Ramechhap districts, together (...) with key informant interviews and case studies. Findings from the study shows most youth joined in the volunteer program on their own initiative. They are concerned about issues including personal safety, quality and appropriate training, coordination, wrong attitudes, gender inequality and media coverage. People engaging in similar acts may have different underlying motivations for doing so. Findings from the study shows that mostly, the volunteers are motivated based on their values which are welfare of others or unselfishness. Other underlying motives include opportunity to learn, career prospects, social pressure, to reduce feelings of guilt and enhance one‘s self-esteem. Activities for taking forward their work includes ensuring quality and appropriate training and appropriate gears and tools for search and rescue work, awareness raising, recognition and visibility of their work. Psychosocial counseling is important after rescue operations, as it is important to heal the psychological wounds after an emergency or a critical event. The study suggests involving volunteers in all stages of disaster management planning process. It is a matter of combined responsibility that volunteers are recognized for the contributions and their needs are ensured for them to accomplish their efforts successfully. (shrink)

The concept of dignity is the foundation of fundamental rights expressed in international declarations on human rights and bioethics. Sometimes there are collisions of rights, which must be weighed. However, more often dignity is invoked in order to argue for or against the same issue. Is it possible that a concept can be so broad that it becomes meaningless? What do we mean when we argue for moral decisions based on dignity? This paper aims at understanding dignity as a construct, (...) in an analytical and evolutionary cross-cultural approach, from a Western and Eastern view, and then considers its impact on the teaching of human rights and biolaw. (shrink)

A central question of this chapter is how we can relate the unique ethos of Japan to the ways that influences of international bioethics, civil rights and legal reforms have shifted medical research in Japan from the legacy of the structured paternalism and impunity that allowed abuses to be committed by medical researchers in the World War II era, including in Unit 731 and in medical schools in Japan, to contemporary research agendas and policies. Throughout the twentieth century, Japan has (...) been a centre of research and innovation. The pro-technology attitudes still exist in current Japan, with the evolution of bioethics. Although we can trace the origins of bioethics in Japan back through millennia, with the Ainu indigenous practices and relationships to nature, the sophisticated hierarchical relationships expressed in the seventh century A.D. book the Kojiki, the conversion of forest to rice paddies, emergence of an integrated religious system including Shintoism and Buddhism, and the sophisticated class system supported by linguistics and social relationships, this chapter would argue that one of the most influential influence for this question is the Samurai tradition. This tradition values both autonomy and informed choice, while also allowing the legacy of tolerance of the elite classes to make decisions that may sacrifice some persons for the greater good. While principles of solidarity and social justice are a solid basis for universal health insurance they also allow sacrifices when necessary. Informed consent is now widely accepted, and bioethics is part of a transition which is transforming Japanese society from a paternalistic society to an individualistic one. Among the issues that will be used to illustrate the situation, are the functioning of research ethics committees, large gene bank and epidemiological projects, organ transplantation, truth telling, euthanasia and the public health measures such as mask wearing in the current COIVD-19 pandemic. (shrink)

This paper reviews the results of a pilot study also conducted in the United States, Germany and Chile, the physician decision-making survey of Rothenberg et al. of the Volkswagen Foundation-Kennedy Institute project. The views of university physicians caring for adult patients at an academic medical center concerning advance directives were surveyed. Given a case, almost all respondents chose the option the doctor and family decide the treatment for the demented patients. The process used to decide which person to discuss the (...) treatment was a mixture of relatives and those caring for the patient, and those in the family who have the best ability to decide. The most important factor in making the decision was what is considered best for the patient, followed by the family will. (shrink)

This collection of papers is the fifth in a series of books from RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok offering Asia and Pacific perspectives on ethics - each focusing on specific themes. The contents come from submitted papers to the UNESCO Bangkok Bioethics conferences held in 2005 and they are assembled thematically. They also include discourse from the conference, as intercultural communication is part of the essence of deliberation on bioethics.

This collection of papers were originally presented during conferences on ethics in science and technology that UNESCO’s Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences (RUSHSAP) has been convening since 2005. Since intercultural communication and information-sharing are essential components of these deliberations, the books also provide theme-related discourse from the conferences.

Papers from the Pacific islands, India, Bangladesh and elsewhere illustrate the ethical dilemma of environmental policy, sustainable development and the needs of communities to make a living.

A compilation of 16 papers selected from two UNESCO Bangkok Bioethics Roundtables, with research and policy dialogues from different countries in the region. It includes papers on informed consent, ethics committees, communication, organ transplants, traditional medicines and sex selection.

A number of controversial topics related to bioethics and biotechnology 17 papers that deal with various aspects of release and development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), stem cells and cloning, privacy and bio-banking.

This paper presents the results of two mail response surveys conducted in Japan in 1995 among academics. The fundamental question asked is whether the attitudes of these academics differ from those of the public and other groups that have been surveyed in 1991 and 1993 . Some of those questions from those surveys were used in 1995, and the results show some differences with the acceptance of fetal diagnosis and gene therapy despite a positive view towards science.

This research examines challenges faced by youth vonlunteers from Africa serving in the Asia Pacific Region. These challenges are present on both the side from the youth volunteer and from the host organization or communities. This research found that half of the volunteer sample affirmed that the Asia Pacific was not their preferred choice for doing advocacy. Misunderstanding of social justice advocacy from both sides, of youth volunteers and their host organizations was another cause of unexpected challenges. Some youth went (...) into service without having a strong understanding of what social justice advocacy is. Only one quarter had a clear understanding of what social justice is, and most never had an advocacy experience before. Host organizations also did not have a clear understanding of social justice. Each hosting organization should select young people who’s objectives align with the organization objectives and goals. Language barrier is one of the expected challenges, as is the weather. On the culture difference, youth volunteers tend to cope up very well with the culture shock as few confessed that the culture was too difficult for them. However, there are concerns about stereotypes which affected the aptitude of some youth, as well as some inappropriate or unacceptable behavior toward the youth volunteers. (shrink)

A survey of high school student expectations on biotechnology was made, including the information, where it came from, how information resources influence their scientific thoughts. GM crops were used as the theme of biotechnology, because the technology is concerned with food which all people have a relationship with. From the 977 responses obtained from 8 high schools it was found most high schools' students expected benefits and risks from biotechnology. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables improvements were given when (...) students were asked to think about how they would improve their favourite fruit and vegetable. The information given by mass media tended to increase the feeling that science was risky. (shrink)

Public engagement in science and technology has grown in importance as developments in science and technology make increasingly significant impacts on people's lives. Now, efforts to engage publics in social decision-making or consensus-building regarding science and technology involve participation, learning or deliberation opportunities, as well as interactive or coproductive efforts among various sectors in society based on the recognition of scientific activities as a part of social operations - even those performed by scientific communities. We have conducted a community engagement (...) program in the HapMap project, the international human genome program, in Japan since 2002. Consequent upon our various approaches to engage Japanese publics, a range of observations were made, such as that: public engagement is not yet recognized or institutionalized in Japan; there is a wide gap between science and society; and the implications of public engagement in a Japanese context have not been examined enthusiastically, especially from the perspectives of political decision making, social consensus-building or self-determination. In this paper, we provide an overview of public engagement in Japan, and discuss issues and challenges raised by the HapMap community engagement project. We also discuss the implications of public engagement for social decision-making and self-determination, and explore the prospects for public engagement in science and technology in Japan. (shrink)

The issue of large-scale, population based DNA collections has become a world-wide discussion, which is hoped to bring substantial improvements in medicine. Continuous access to clinical data linked to the genetic samples is very important for some research that aims to find significant association between genes and diseases. This raises ethical issues related to privacy and confidentiality of medical records and the genetic information of the individuals who may be involved in the research. Genetic databases can also raise challenges for (...) the protection of the rights of the social groups, in avoiding potential stigmatization or discrimination. Informed consent of voluntary participants is another important issue in genetic research.We consider whether a person has ethical duties to donate a sample to a database if it will be used for the improvement of the health services to which they have benefited from. The balance between individual's privacy and public health is needed in genetic research. A good database will contribute to the good of both donors and society. (shrink)

This research explores the causes of early marriage and assesses the consequences of early marriage on maternal and child well-being in a district of Nepal. A two week long field operation was carried out to collect data where 126 respondents were selected through convenience sampling methods on the basis of two criteria, including 1) being a married women only who got married before 19 years of age; and 2) those who have children below three years. The interviews were mainly focused (...) on those who have a neonatal child. A structured interview schedule found that early marriage is still prevalent among the illiterate group. A paradigm shift was found in some aspects, such as the shift in decision-making from parents to children, a shift from arranged to love marriages, and from parental pressure to marry to love and fulfillment of sexual desire as reasons for marrying. Most of the respondents have no idea about the legal marriage age and punishment for underage marriage. Most of the respondents suffered from different physical health-related problem including poor maternal and child well-being, weakness, immaturity, miscarriage, sexual problems, no prenatal check up, and/or low birth weight. To deal with the problem a number of strategies have been suggested, mainly providing economic opportunities to young girls, improving the strictness of legal strategies about marriage age, promoting education of girls, and using mass media to increase the awareness of the whole community about the consequences of early marriage on girls themselves and on her children along with their family. Efforts need to be made in the community and other parts of Nepal where early marriage and child marriage is prevalent. (shrink)

Introduction: Pharmaceutical companies offer various gifts to physicians to encourage them to prescribe their products. This collaboration has some negative and positive aspects. Different countries have established guidelines to limit the collaboration and reform such relationships. This study aims to determine the attitude of Bangladeshi medical students towards pharmaceutical gifts, physician-pharmacist collaboration, and associated factors. Methods: An online cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted through email and Google-Forms among Bangladeshi medical students. A total of 435 students from different medical colleges (...) completed the questionnaires in May and June, 2016. Results: Monthly parental income was moderate among the majority of medical students. Less than 16% had a physician or pharmacist parent. Most of the students were taught about medical ethics, but 73% were not taught about the ethics of physician-pharmacist collaboration. About 85% did not have any experience of interaction with marketing representatives. Drug samples and pennotepads were the most appreciated pharmaceutical gifts. Jewelry and gifts costing more than 100 thousand were said to be the least appreciated pharmaceutical gifts. Attitudes towards drug companies and representatives were assessed by fifteen statements. Medical students had a variety of attitudes regarding its ethical justification. Attitudes were correlated with gender, parental income, physician parents, academic years, and having been taught about pharmaceutical collaboration with physicians. Conclusion and Recommendations: medical students should elaborate on ethical reasoning before accepting pharmaceutical gifts. Medical colleges and curriculums should teach them about the interaction. A national guideline may be needed. (shrink)

The intensification of debate over environmental ethics in recent years have clarified some ethical arguments such as autonomy, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, trans-generational ethics and the rights of nature. However, we can ask if these ethical principles could become an incentive for people to act considering the environment. A questionnaire sheet for use in face-to-face interviews was developed to explore the ideas of the general public in order to describe the attitudes and behaviour towards transportation using private cars. People were interviewed (...) to ask how they think of the use of private cars in the future, and whether they have restricted their use of private cars considering the environment, using open-ended questions. According to this survey, it is suggested that while more than 90% of the general public in Japan think the environment faces serious problems, most lack concrete knowledge about why environmental problems are dangerous. Among those who object to restrictions on private car use, there are also many respondents who expect a solution from the development of science and technology, as well as the general state of mind and society that considers a convenient life to be most important. (shrink)

The present study was aimed at gaining a broad opinion regarding bioethical reasoning amongst student fraternity. These students had been admitted to medical schools after completion of their high school . Ethnically all the students were of Indian origin though they belonged to a diverse socio-economic-cultural background. The mean age of students was 18 years and a total of 125 first year medical students were questioned in 1998 , using the questionnaire designed by Macer with some modifications. The observations (...) revealed the fact that even though fair amount of awareness regarding the wide perspectives of bioethics did prevail amongst many, yet some sense of ignorance was reflected as well. However, the respondents were divided on various sensitive issues like cloning, in vitro fertilisation etc. The results suggest enforcement of both individual and collective efforts to arouse the consciousness of students regarding bioethics and application of bioethical decision making to dilemmas posed by science and technology. (shrink)

Every civilization has its own worldview that determines its approaches towards subjects such as human beings, nature and God. Most modern humans have tried to control all nature as property. Nature, therefore, was considered as the booty, which should have been used entirely. Now, the modern perspective has revealed problems including emerging and dangerous diseases, resistant bacteria, and extinction of many animals, global warming, climate change; air, sound and light pollution, and so on. The problem is that human beings cannot (...) continue these attitudes as a viable survival strategy. In this paper, using conceptual analysis, we try to explain the epistemic gap regarding the positions of humankind and nature which happened after modernism and then present the image which Ibn ‘Arabī, a traditional sage and philosopher depicted for the integrated world. He developed a comprehensive perspective of the world, considering it as a manifestation of an Existence. He considered humans as the God’s vice-regent who must manage the earth and keep the creatures as God's representative. (shrink)

Construction of rural roads started to expand in Nepal since the 1980s and is still an ongoing process, however environmental considerations have been considered since the mid 1990s. Adoption of environmental safeguards in development projects have been an important aspect of project cycle although there is lot more to do at the field level. In this study, three different ongoing projects in different regions of Nepal have been accessed at the field level and mitigation measures were examined in order to (...) study the effectiveness of those measures. This study reviews a lot of mitigation measures that have been proposed and each of them were implemented at the field level. A successful implementation of mitigation measures was found but it still recommends that there is still a lot more room for improvement. (shrink)

This paper discusses whether the roots of our ecological crisis and materialistic world views are derived from the Biblical view of the role of human beings in nature or whether these are derived from English language translations of Genesis 1:28 and Western philosophy. We suggest that the Hebrew word RADAH no longer be translated as dominion over nature, rather take over is a better interpretation. Eastern and Western views of nature are discussed.