International Conference on Ethics of Stem Cell

International Conference on Ethics of Stem Cell
Research and
Moral Responsibility in ART
Joint BIG / ESHRE Conference
Bioethics Institute Ghent
and
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
ESHRE Campus 2007
Ghent, Belgium
30 November to 1 December 2007
ESHRE Campus
International Conference on
Ethics of Stem Cell Research and
Moral Responsibility in ART
Ghent, Belgium
30 November - 1 December 2007
Organized by
the ESHRE Special Interest Group Ethics and Law
and
the Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG)
Course description
The course has two parts: the first addresses ethical aspects of human embryonic
stem cell and cloning research.This fast developing and controversial
technology continuously generates new ethical issues that one tries to solve by
new technological inventions, which in turn raise new controversies. The second
part contains presentations on the moral responsibility of all parties involved in
medically assisted reproduction: the patient (for their life style and their future
offspring), the physician (for the patient, the child and society), and society (by
introducing legislation and providing public funding).
Course objectives
The course intends to inform about new developments in the field of human stem
cell and cloning research, as well as the ethical issues they raise. It also intends to
stimulate discussion on the moral responsibility of the different parties in assisted
reproductive technology and to make them aware of the others’ perspective and
position in its application.
Target audience
On the one hand, philosophers and ethicists interested in stem cells and medically
assisted reproduction. On the other hand, physicians and healthcare workers with
a general interest in ethics as applied in the domain of infertility treatment.
Accreditation for physicians has been requested.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
FACULTY & ORGANIZATION
Organising Committee
Katrien Devolder
Guido Pennings
Faculty
Didi Braat, head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UMC St Radboud,
Nijmegen, The Netherlands. D.braat@obgyn.umcn.nl
Yvonne Denier, Center for Economics and Ethics, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
Yvonne.Denier@econ.kuleuven.be
Katrien Devolder, Bioethics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Belgium. Katrien.
devolder@ugent.be
Paul Devroey, clinical director of Centre for Reproductive Medicine AZ-VUB, Free
University Brussels, Belgium. President of ESHRE. Paul.devroey@az.vub.ac.be
Guido de Wert, professor of biomedical ethics, Maastricht University, Research Institute
GROW, Maastricht, The Netherlands. G.deWert@ZW.unimaas.nl
Jan Gerris, head of Division Gynecology, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Department
of Ob-Gyn, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium. Jan.gerris@ugent.be
John Harris, Sir David Alliance Professor of Bioethics, Centre for Social Ethics and Policy,
University of Manchester. John.harris@manchester.ac.uk
Peter Herissone-Kelly, lecturer in philosophy, University of Central Lancashire, United
Kingdom. pnherissone-kelly@uclan.ac.uk
Freddy Mortier, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy, Ghent University. Freddy.
Mortier@Ugent.be
Guido Pennings, director of Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG), coordinator of Special Interest
Group of Ethics and Law ESHRE, Ghent University, Belgium. Guido.Pennings@Ugent.
be
Julian Savulescu, Uehiro Professor of Practical Ethics, the Oxford Uehiro Centre for
Practical Ethics, Director of the Program on Ethics and the New Biosciences in the 21st
Century School, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. julian.savulescu@philosophy.
ox.ac.uk
Françoise Shenfield, clinical lecturer, Reproductive Medicine Unit, University College
Hospitals, London, United Kingdom. mfi@easynet.co.uk
Jan Helge Solbakk, chief of Bioethics Section, Division of Ethics of Science and
Technology, Bioethics Section UNESCO, Paris, France. j.h.solbakk@medisin.uio.no
Torbjörn Tännsjö, Kristian Claëson Professor of Practical Philosophy, Department of
Philosophy, Stockholm University, Sweden. torbjorn.tannsjo@philosophy.su.se
Giuseppe Testa, assistant professor, European School of Molecular Medicine, director
of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
giuseppe.testa@ifom-ieo-campus.it
GENERAL INFORMATION
Organizing secretariat
ESHRE Central Office
Meerstraat 60 / 1852 Grimbergen / Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 269 09 69 / Fax: +32 (0)2 269 56 00 / E-mail: info@eshre.com
Venue
The venue for the International Conference on Ethics of Stem Cell Research and Moral
Responsibility in Assisted Reproductive Technology is the former Dominican abbey ‘Het
Pand’, located in the historical centre of Ghent. The sessions will be held in Room ‘Refter’
located on the ground floor.
Address: Onderbergen 1 (next to Sint-Michiels Church) / 9000 Ghent
How to get there?
By plane
From Brussels National Airport: take the direct train to Ghent (railway station ‘Gent St-
Pieters’). There should be at least one train going to Ghent every hour.
By train/tram
Most international trains (including Thalys and Eurostar) arrive in Brussels (Brussel Zuid/
Bruxelles-Midi). There, take the train to “Gent St-Pieters” (the trains with final destination
‘Oostende’ or ‘De Panne’). There is a train from Brussels to Ghent every 30 minutes.
The trip Brussels - Ghent takes 35 minutes.
To get to Het Pand, take tram 1 to ‘Korenmarkt’. At “Korenmarkt”, cross the Sint-Michiels
bridge. Go left at the Sint-Michiels Church and reach Het Pand next to the church.
By car
You will probably come in on highways E17 or E40, which intersect near the city.
Highway E17: Follow the direction “Gent”, and then take direction “Gent Centrum”
(B401)
Highway E40: Follow the direction “Gent Antwerpen” (E17), then follow the direction
“Gent”, and finally follow direction “Gent Centrum” (B401)
When entering Ghent, follow the parking routes to Parking 7 (P7), Sint-Michiels Parking.
When coming out of the parking at the side of Sint-Michiels Church, go to the right and
find Het Pand next to the church.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Links to sites about Ghent, Flanders and Belgium
Official web site of the city of Ghent: http://www.gent.be
Hotel accommodation
All hotels are within walking distance from the venue
Sofitel
http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/1673/fiche_hotel.shtml
Hotel Mariott (***)
http://www.marriottghent.be/
Ibis Gent Centrum St-Baafs (**)
http://www.ibishotel.com/ibis/fichehotel/gb/ibi/0961/fiche_hotel.shtml
Monasterium Poortackere (***)
http://www.monasterium.be/
More hotels at http://www.gent.be/gent/vrijetij/hotels/showlist.asp
There are also plenty of charming B&B’s in the city centre:
http://www.bedandbreakfast-gent.be/
Students can stay at the comfortable and beautifully located youth hostel:
Youth Hostel De Draecke http://www.vjh.be/
Registrations
The following fees apply:
1. Student (valid student ID) = 40 Euro
2. Non-medical persons and Member of ESHRE = 100 Euro
3. Non-member of ESHRE = 140 Euro
Registration fees include attendance to all sessions, lunch, coffee breaks and certificate
of attendance.
Cancellation policy/ All cancellations should be made in writing An
administrative fee of 25 Euro will be charged for all cancellations.
Cancellations received after 1 November 2007 will not be refunded.
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Friday, November 30, 2007
13:00 Registration
14:00 Opening - Guido Pennings (B)
Session 1: “Ethics of human embryonic stem cell and cloning research”
Chair: Guido Pennings (B)
14:30 The use of empirical arguments in the stem cell debate
Jan Helge Solbakk (NO)
15:15 Killing embryos for stem cells: scientific answers and technical solutions
Katrien Devolder (B)
16:00 Coffee break
16:30 Species and other specious boundaries in stem cell research
John Harris (UK)
17:15 Between generation and regeneration: the ethics of human nuclear
transfer
Giuseppe Testa (I)
18:00 Concluding remarks of the day
Katrien Devolder (B)
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Session 2: “Ethics of ART: the role of the physician and society”
Chair: Françoise Shenfield (UK)
09:30 Future developments in ART and their ethical implications
Paul Devroey (B)
10:15 Ethics of evidence-based medicine in ART
Didi Braat (NL)
11:00 Coffee break
11:30 Reimbursement of IVF: can ethics help to decide?
Torbjörn Tännsjö (SE)
12:15 State regulation and therapeutic freedom in ART
Jan Gerris (B)
13:00: Lunch at Het Pand
Session 3: “Moral responsibility of patients and physicians in ART”
Chair: Guido de Wert (NL)
14:30 Personal responsibility of patients: should we treat the smoking obese
woman?
Yvonne Denier (B)
15:15 Against conscientious objection of physicians in ART
Julian Savulescu (UK)
16:00 Coffee break
16:30 Must parents choose the best possible child?
Peter Herissone-Kelly (UK)
17:15 Closing remarks
Freddy Mortier (B)
17:30 End
International Conference on Ethics of Stem Cell Research and
Moral Responsibility in ART
30 November - 1 December 2007
1. PARTICIPANT’S DETAILS
r Prof. r Dr r Prof. Dr. r Mr r Mrs r Ms
ESHRE Member ref. n°:____________
First name: ______________________Family name: __________________________________________________
Department: __________________________________________________________________________________
Institute: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Postal address: ________________________________________________________________________________
Postcode: _____________ City: ___________________ Country:________________________________________
Telephone: _________________________________ Facsimile: ______________________________________
E-mail: ______________________________________________________________________________________
2. REGISTRATION (please tick appropriate box)
r Non-medical persons and Members of ESHRE = 100 Euro
r Non-members = 140 Euro
r Students (valid student ID) = 40 Euro
3. PAYMENT
r I have made a bank transfer for the amount of __________________ Euro on ESHRE international account
number (IBAN) BE61 5522 5209 0217 — BIC = GKCCBEBB (national account n° = 552-2520902-17) of
DEXIA Bank, Pachecolaan 44, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
r I would like to pay with credit card. Please complete the following information:
r American Express r Eurocard/Mastercard r Visa
If private card: Name: _____________________________________________Initials: _______________________
If company card: Company name: _________________________________________________________________
Card number: _________________________________________________________________________________
Expiry date: __________________ (month) ___________ (year)
Cancellations: All cancellations should be made in writing. An administrative fee of 25 Euro will be charged for all
cancellations. Cancellations received after 1 November 2007 will not be refunded.
Signature:_____________________________________________Date:_____________________________
RETURN TO:
ESHRE Central Office, Meerstraat 60, 1852 Grimbergen, BELGIUM
Tel: + 32 (0)2 269 09 69 — Fax: +32 (0)2 269 56 00 - E-mail: info@eshre.com
REGISTRATION FORM - ESHRE CAMPUS


Find out more about ESHRE at
www.eshre.com