Clinical Ethics in Modern Practice Conference

The University of Chicago Center in Beijing
20th floor, Culture Plaza
No. 59A Zhong Guan Cun Street
Haidian District Beijing 100872

On April 6, the University of Chicago Center in Beijing, along with the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, hosted an insightful event on Clinical Ethics in Modern Practice. The event brought together experts and practitioners from various fields to discuss the ongoing challenges in clinical ethics. With 30 in-person and 30 virtual participants, the conference featured a range of engaging talks and panel discussions.

The day began with a warm welcome and introduction from Dr. Cong Yali, Professor at the School of Health Humanities in Peking University, followed by a panel session discussing the challenges in implementing advance directives and the complications involved in clinical ethics consultation and result disclosure. After a short tea break, the conversation shifted its focus to equity, quality, and ethics. Under the moderation of Dr. Bai Qiong, Associate Professor of Nephrology at Peking University Third Hospital, speakers discussed the ethics of artificial organs and potential ways to improve health equity.  

The third session, moderated by Dr. Michael Millis, Faculty Director at the University of Chicago Center in Beijing, centered on the real-world application of clinical ethics in healthcare systems across different international contexts. Discussions included the evolving significance of ethics consultations, the role of clinical ethics committees in Singapore, and the benefits of ethics fellowships for surgical trainees.

The final session focused on surgical ethics and human organ donation as well as transplantation. Dr. Megan Applewhite, Associate Director of the Maclean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, revisited the topic of surgical informed consent, followed by a discussion from Dr. Michael Millis on the advancement of transplantation ethics. Tang Jian, Associate Professor at Tianjin Medical University, also delivered a talk, drawing attention to the vulnerability of donors’ families in the context of human organ donation ethics, with a particular focus on the concerns of donors’ families.

The conference concluded with a free discussion coupled with a Q&A session, allowing the scholars to communicate on a deeper level and providing the audience with a valuable chance to engage with the speakers. The conference served as a dynamic platform for meaningful dialogues and exchanges, with the support and coordination from the UChicago Center in Beijing being vital to the event’s success.