Navigating the Ethical Maze: Dr. Arthur Caplan on Bioethics in Modern Medicine

Dr. Arthur Caplan, a distinguished bioethicist, discusses various topics related to bioethics. He highlights the importance of bioethics in areas such as organ transplantation, genetic testing, artificial intelligence, and personalized medicine.

Dr. Caplan emphasizes the need for informed consent in research ethics and the importance of providing research participants with the results of studies. He also addresses the ethical considerations in organ transplantation, including the allocation of scarce resources and the role of living donors. Additionally, he discusses the ethical implications of expensive treatments and the allocation of limited resources in healthcare. The conversation explores the disparity in healthcare attention given to rare diseases compared to chronic conditions. It highlights the need for organized advocacy and lobbying for conditions that lack representation.

The discussion also delves into the balance between investing in genetic therapies for rare diseases and preventive measures for chronic conditions. The ethical considerations of gene editing using CRISPR technology are examined, including the need for monitoring and surveillance of adverse effects. The potential for societal inequalities in access to gene editing is discussed, raising concerns about eugenics and the widening gap between those who can afford the technology and those who cannot.

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Arthur Caplan

01:35 The Importance of Bioethics in Various Areas

09:25 Informed Consent in Research Ethics

17:29 Balancing Scientific Progress and Ethical Considerations in Human Subject Research

33:41 Ethical Considerations in Organ Transplantation

47:22 Healthcare Resource Utilization and Pricing

48:25 Disparity in Healthcare Attention

51:18 Balancing Rare Diseases and Chronic Conditions

53:36 Genetics vs. Environmental Intervention

58:26 CRISPR and Bioethical Concerns

01:05:13 Societal Inequalities in Access to Gene Editing

01:06:03 Inspiration from Ben Franklin

• Dr. Arthur Caplan


• Succumbing to AI with a whimper, not a bang


• Working Group on Compassionate Use and Preapproval Access (CUPA)


• Vaccine Working Group on Ethics and Policy


• Working Group on Pediatric Gene Therapy & Medical Ethics


• Transplant Ethics and Policy 


• If you donate DNA, what should scientists give in return? A ‘pathbreaking’ new model


• Treating the dead; how far ought medicine go to obtain transplantable organs?


• Consideration and Disclosure of Group Risks in Genomics and Other Data-Centric Research: Does the Common Rule Need Revision?


• Research involving the recently deceased: ethics questions that must be answered


• Regaining Trust in Public Health and Biomedical Science following Covid: The Role of Scientists


• Protect newborn screening programs


• Why the Gene Was (Mis)Placed at the Center of American Health Policy