Anscombe Bioethics Centre Archives

Proposed UK abortion changes could violate conscience rights, bioethics center says

Jul 5, 2020

Proposed amendments to a domestic abuse bill that would open up Britain to abortion on demand up to the 28th week of pregnancy would also lead to the violation of conscience rights for medical workers, the UK’s leading Catholic bioethics think tank is warning.

By Charles Collins

Bioethics center: UK elderly death rate greatest failure of pandemic

May 26, 2020

The “extremely high death rate” in UK care homes for the elderly will go down as the greatest national failure of the coronavirus crisis, a Catholic bioethics institute said.

By Simon Caldwell

Bishops issue organ donation guidelines after England starts ‘opt out’ system

May 20, 2020

Moving to an “opt-out” system of organ donation in England is “regrettable,” according the country’s leading Catholic bioethics center. As of May 20, most people in England will be considered organ donors unless they record a decision not to donate.

By Charles Collins

Bioethicists urge COVID-19 vaccine research avoid abortion cell lines

Apr 28, 2020

A human vaccine trial begun last week in England has raised hopes that the COVID-19 coronavirus might one day be stopped in its tracks. However, ethicists have expressed concerns that the vaccine, developed at Oxford University, used cell lines obtained from an aborted child in the early 1970s.

By Charles Collins

English bishops urge a ‘criteria of fairness’ when assessing care for COVID-19 patients

Apr 21, 2020

Human value is not a measure of “our mental or physical capacity, our societal function, our age, our health or of any other qualitative assessment,” said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in a statement about accessing healthcare during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

By Charles Collins

New Academy for Life member: Bioethics not about condemning everything

Feb 4, 2020

As the Pontifical Academy for Life prepares for its Feb. 26-28 assembly, the Vatican body announced several new appointments, including Michael Wee, from the Oxford-based Anscombe Bioethics Centre.

By Charles Collins