Free speech, democracy, and eugenics
- Editors, Journal of Medical Ethics
- Correspondence to: Professor S Holm Cardiff Law School, Cardiff University, PO Box 427, Cardiff CF10 3XJ, UK; holmscardiff.ac.uk
Attempts to stifle debate in medical ethics must be strongly resisted
On 30 September and 1 October this year a conference on “Ethics, Science and Moral Philosophy of Assisted Human Reproduction” was held at the Royal Society in London. The conference was organised by the German philosopher Edgar Dahl and the eminent embryologist Robert Edwards, and the speakers included scientists, IVF practitioners, and philosophers from the UK, the USA, Europe, and Australia (you can see the programme at http://www.humanreproethics.org/welcome.htm)
Because the programme included discussion of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and reproductive choice the conference was targeted by an anonymous group calling itself “People Against Eugenics” that is hiding its real identity behind an email address.
If this shadowy organisation had had …
