Methodology in Bioethics
Much of the research conducted at the Centre is focussed around methodological innovation in bioethics, and the Centre has internationally recognised expertise in the developing field of empirical bioethics.
We undertake research into how to conduct interdisciplinary and empirical bioethics, and we also use empirical bioethics methodologies in a variety of research projects.
Centre staff have been instrumental in the ongoing development of the field, including editing the first book dedicated to empirical bioethics and chairing a European consensus project on standards of practice in empirical bioethics.
Featured publication
Jordan A. Parsons and Harleen Kaur Johal
Bioethics, 2021
Featured publication
Empirical Bioethics: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives.
Edited by Jonathan Ives, Mikey Dunn and Alan Cribb
Cambridge University Press, 2017
Methodology is and ought be at the heart of bioethics research. We need to think carefully about the questions we are asking, and then ask what the best way to answer those questions is. It all comes back to the question, and what we want to be able to do with the answer.
Selected work
The ethics of surgical innovation
Funded through the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Huxtable, Ives and Birchley are working with colleagues on the Surgical Innovation workstream to explore ethical issues in the practice and regulation of surgical innovation. Our work utilises a blend of empirical and theoretical approaches including narrative synthesis, concept analysis, ethical analysis, legal analysis, and qualitative research. Alice Toms’ PhD research focuses on the regulatory and legal issues associated with surgical innovation.
Standards of practice in empirical bioethics
Funded by the Brocher Foundation, a project led by Ives, involving 16 academics from across Europe, attempted to reach a consensus on standards of practice in empirical bioethics research. Vanderhaegen's PhD research is exploring quality and consistency in empirical bioethics research.
Public understanding of genomic medicine and research in Sri Lanka
Funded by the Wellcome Trust, this is a project in which Ives is collaborating with colleagues in Sri Lanka to undertake pilot qualitative work exploring public understandings of genomics in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with a view to developing appropriate consent processes for genomic research.
BRIDGES - Bioethics Research Interdisciplinary Group (England and South Korea)
Funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea, this project was led by Lee, Ives and Huxtable. It aimed to foster information exchange and the development of methodological innovation in bioethics through cross-cultural collaboration and learning between the Centre for Ethics in Medicine and bioethicists at Yonsei University in South Korea.
Systematic/Literature reviews in bioethics
Lots of the CEM team have experience conducting a range of different kinds of literature reviews in bioethics, and many of us (Ives, Birchley, Johal, Parsons) are exploring how literature reviews can support bioethics. Ives is a member of international expert group (base in Hannover) developing PRISMA guidelines for systematic review in bioethics.