Why is a discussion of bioethical issues so critical?
Michael Hyde: The tempo of our high-tech times means there is a greater need to talk about these issues and to talk about them using real language. Doctors and researchers must be taught how to better communicate with the media, their patients and the public. Jack Kevorkian’s controversial euthanasias and Terri Schiavo’s medical crisis are just two examples of how bioethical issues, such as those related to end-of-life decisions, need to be discussed. To have conversations about bioethical issues and to develop appropriate policies as a result of these talks, people must learn about the issues. In a democracy you need an informed public, and if you don’t have an informed public, democracy becomes shallow. Do people realize how important these discussions are? Nancy King: They should, because bioethical issues affect each of us, and therefore, we should be committed to discussing them. The purpose of the conference is to articulate the issues and to help people explore how to make good
