After a brief hiatus for the holidays, the Yale Friday Newsletter is back! Enjoy below the fold (slightly edited for our readers):
Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics Director Stephen Latham has the following updates:
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This Week on Campus
Tuesday, January 15 Rudd Center Seminar Child Study Center Grand Rounds Wednesday, January 16 Poynter Fellowship Lecture Thursday, January 17 Humanities in Medicine Lecture
Off Campus Events & Conferences The Future of Global Tobacco Control: Current Constitutional and Treaty-Based Challenges American Journal of Law and Medicine Annual Conference Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael Siegel, BU School of Public Health Faculty, students, and the general public are welcome to attend. For academic questions, please contact the AJLM Symposium Editors at ajlmsymposium@gmail.com. For event-related questions and to register for this conference, please contact BU Law’s Events & PR Manager, Elizabeth Aggott. Please RSVP by Wednesday, January 16, 2013.
Thinking with Animals RSVP Required: https://animalstudies.as.nyu.edu/object/asevent.20130125.thinkinganimals Speakers: Alice Crary, Jan Dutkiewicz, Amy Leigh Field, Dale Jamieson, Colin Jerolmack, Timothy Pachirat, Dominic Pettman, Pooja Rangan, Chris Schlottmann, Jeff Sebo, Ada Smailbegovic, Miriam Ticktin & Rafi Youatt. Although the social sciences, humanities, and philosophy have long been characterized by a deep-seated anthropocentrism, the recent explosion of popular moral concern for nonhuman animals has helped expand the boundaries of these disciplines. This conference examines how the “animal turn” is altering the contours of academic inquiry in the fields of philosophy, anthropology, politics, sociology, cultural studies, and literature. Specifically, scholars will examine how our relations with animals both reflect and shape the historical, political, and cultural contexts in which they are embedded; and they will ask what it means to theorize animals as political, economic, social, and moral objects—and subjects. A flyer and the conference program with abstracts and speaker biographies can be downloaded from this webpage.
From a Dream to a Vision: A Journey Towards Optimal Health National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care This year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous speech, “I Have A Dream.” The anniversary year provides the opportunity to explore human rights and social justice as central to health, wellness, research, and the common good. In this anniversary year, the Tuskegee University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care will sponsor their regular yearly intensive public health ethics education course at the university on April 2-5, 2013. This year’s course is entitled, “From a Dream to a Vision: A Journey Towards Optimal Health.” The week’s seminars will explore important perspectives. One of special importance at this time of history will be women’s voices in ethics, health and health care. Continuing education credits will be provided (CME, Nursing CE, General CEU). Interested individuals/institutions are to contact the National Bioethics Center for information. POC is Mr. Richard Taylor at the National Bioethics Center via: Email: taylorre@mytu.tuskegee.edu Tel: (334) 725-2314 General information about the National Bioethics Center and Tuskegee University can be found at: www.tuskegee.edu/bioethics.
Grants, Fellowships, & Jobs REIDS Application Deadline Extended to February 1 Do you have a special interest in Community Based Research? If you do, we are accepting applications for the 2013 REIDS Summer Institute. Apply now for the opportunity to receive up to $20,000 in pilot project funding. All application materials must be submitted by Friday, February 1, 2013. We STRONGLY URGE you to contact Kate Stoddard (kate.stoddard@yale.edu or 203-764-8476) before you begin the application process. Apply Now…
Rock Ethics Institute Postdoctoral Scholars The Pennsylvania State University The Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State has a threefold mission to promote ethics education, research, and outreach. In particular, we aim a) to integrate ethics education across the Penn State curriculum and to provide informal ethics education to our community in order to underscore and strengthen a culture of integrity and responsibility at Penn State, and b) to serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary research in the field of ethics that is both collaborative and policy-relevant. We pursue our educational aim by working with faculty across the university to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to integrate ethics into their undergraduate classes. We are also launching a program to train STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to become leaders and educators in the field of research ethics. Our research efforts have led to a series of exciting collaborations related to food ethics, neuroethics, and climate ethics, including a recent NSF sponsored research network for Sustainable Climate Risk Management Strategies which will investigate the question: “What are sustainable, scientifically sound, technologically feasible, economically efficient, and ethically defensible climate risk management strategies?” At least four ten-month postdoctoral scholarships will be awarded with appointments beginning August 2013. Appointments are for full time employment (40 hours per week) and may be continued for a maximum of 3 years contingent upon satisfactory performance and the needs of the Institute. The salary range is $45,000-$60,000 per year, depending on experience. Scholars will receive training and mentorship. They will be expected to assist in designing, offering, and assessing ethics training for faculty and graduate students, to participate in collaborative research in ethics, and to help to strengthen the interdisciplinary ethics community across the campus. Scholars can expect to work on co-authored publications and engage in research that will contribute to their own research trajectory. Scholars may also receive experience working on grants and other fundraising activities. They will also work closely with senior faculty related to their area of expertise and participate in multi-disciplinary seminars and conferences. There may be opportunities to teach one class per year. Applicants are expected to have completed the requirements for the Ph.D. or professional degree by the appointment date. Candidates should submit an online application and arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent confidentially to Deborah Trialonas at dlb49@psu.edu A complete application will include a cover letter detailing the candidate’s qualifications, including how their background qualifies them for one or more of the above listed areas of interest and how their experience is relevant to the position as described; a current curriculum vitae; a scholarly paper or dissertation chapter (not to exceed 12,000 words) representing the applicant’s scholarly achievement or potential; three letters of recommendation. To ensure full consideration, complete applications should be received by January 4, 2013. The selection committee will begin reviewing applications immediately and incomplete applications may be at a disadvantage. We will be interviewing candidates February 20-23, 2013 at the Central APA in New Orleans. Skype interviews will be arranged for those unable to attend the Central APA meetings. We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds. Employment will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity of its workplace.
Assistant Professor of Research Ethics and Medical Humanities, University of Arkansas The Division of Medical Humanities in the College of Medicine at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS—the state’s only health sciences institution with a medical school) seeks to appoint a tenure-track faculty member at the level of assistant professor to focus on ethical issues in research. Along with education and consultation in research ethics and participation on the university’s IRBs, the Division provides support for the UAMS CTSA and participates in national research collaborations as well. While applicants must have particular interests and experience in research ethics, more broadly, they should be familiar with all aspects of bioethics and be prepared to teach medical students, residents, faculty, and others in various areas of medical ethics and humanities. Further, applicants must have a terminal degree in a humanities discipline, law, medicine, nursing, or other health profession. Salary will be commensurate with rank and experience and will be in line with the AAMC’s figures for PhDs in bioethics. Established in 1982, the Division of Medical Humanities (www.uams.edu/humanities/) provides ethics education, consultation and other support throughout the institution and its affiliated partners—Central Arkansas VA and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. The Division is particularly proud of its many offerings by nationally recognized faculty in a broad range of medical humanities, including literature, history, anthropology, and law. Review of applications will begin in February 2013 and continue until the position is filled. The intended start date is July 1, 2013. To apply, an applicant should send a cover letter, CV, three letters of recommendations, and a sample of scholarship to: Carol VanPelt UAMS is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
Public Health Law Research: Making the Case for Laws that Support Health We are pleased to alert you to an exciting new opportunity for funding provided by the Public Health Law Research Program (PHLR). Many of you may be aware of the Strategic and Targeted Research Program (STRP) that PHLR initiated earlier this year to build the evidence for and strengthen the use of regulatory, legal and policy solutions to improve public. This program funds research to fill critical gaps in the public health law evidence base. As part of this effort, PHLR is offering dissertation grants to train doctoral students in public health law research methods, including the development of legal datasets. We invite current PhD students in accredited doctoral degree programs to apply. Dissertation Grants will be awarded for up to $20,000 each for 12 months maximum. These grants include: -Qualitative or quantitative studies of the health effects of specific laws or regulations and/or related underlying mechanisms of effect. Up to $100,000 will be available under this program.For more information, visit the Funding Opportunities page on the PHLR website.
Bioethicist, Sutter Health West Bay Region, Northern California The Bioethicist West Bay Region (“WBR”), under the supervision of the Director PMHV, the Senior Ethics Scholar and CPMC Bioethicist, will be the key provider of ethics expertise to Sutter West Bay Hospitals. This position will support the Ethics Committees of Sutter West Bay Hospitals by receiving and coordinating all requests for ethics consultations, executing consultations and following up with cases after referral. The Bioethicist WBR will be responsible for educating and training the hospital ethics committees of Sutter West Bay Hospitals using materials developed by the PMHV on the basis of the consultation case model used at CPMC. Additionally, the Bioethicist WBR will develop with PMHV faculty ethics committee education and training materials. The Bioethicist WBR will participate in regular ethics rounds in Sutter West Bay Hospitals and lecture at appropriate Sutter West Bay educational events. This position requires extensive travel between the Sutter West Bay Hospitals. Qualifications Please apply online: https://sutterhealth.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=1373245&src=JB-15920
The cross-network/trans-NIH Institute Youth Prevention Working Group (YPRWG) is seeking a post doc or graduate student in a related field of study (e.g., social welfare, public health, sociology, psychology) familiar with the HIV clinical research landscape to review HIV prevention literature. Research assistants would apply inclusion criteria developed by the YPRWG, help determine articles and measures appropriate for inclusion in a searchable database, and make metadata assignment recommendations. The database will help the committee analyze the existing research imperatives, trial results, and protocols in development to identify gaps in the NIH HIV/AIDS scientific enterprise. Criteria includes: general study information, document type, target population, age range, gender, regional setting, demographic, route of infection, HIV status of participants, trial design, trial status, funding source, PI/lead author, target accrual, dates, trial type, etc. Guidance and documents will be provided by the Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC). Experience using SharePoint is desired but not required. For more information about the position and to contribute to the project, please contact Amy Ragsdale (aragsdal@fhcrc.org).
Healthcare Compliance Certification Program 2013 Health Law Student Scholarship
Postdoctoral Position in Science, Technology and Society The Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Science, Technology and Society (STS) and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at Harvard University are seeking to hire a Postdoctoral Fellow with expertise in STS. The one-year position will carry a teaching load of one course in Technology and Society; the successful candidate will also assist in STS Program activities and build links between STS and SEAS. Renewal for a second year may be possible contingent on satisfactory performance and available funding. Candidates should preferably have some background in physical sciences or engineering and be qualified to carry out research on the social implications of one or more aspects of engineering or applied sciences, such as information and communication technologies, biotechnology, or nanotechnology. Areas of specialization might include studies of innovation; risk and regulation; intellectual property; new research partnerships and research governance; and ethical issues in technological R&D. Research experience on comparative, international and global issues is especially welcome. Interdisciplinary teaching experiences are highly desirable. Candidates should hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in an appropriate field, including STS, sociology, law, political science, economics, or engineering. Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter with a statement of research interests, a writing sample or representative publication,and names of three referees via the form on the STS Program website. Review of applications will begin on January 28, 2013 and continue until the position is filled. Applications from women and minorities are especially encouraged. Harvard University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. Cover letters should be addressed to Professor Sheila Jasanoff, Director, Program on Science, Technology and Society, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Mailbox 17, Cambridge, MA 02138. Questions about the application process should be directed to Shana Rabinowich, the STS Program Administrator, at shana_rabinowich@hks.harvard.edu.
Harvard Medical School Division of Medical Ethics Fellowship in Medical Ethics 2013-2014 The Division of Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School supports research and teaching on ethical issues in medicine, health, and healthcare policy and practice. The Fellowship in Medical Ethics is open to physicians, nurses, lawyers, social workers, and others in academic fields related to medicine or health with a serious interest in medical ethics and a wish to further their knowledge of the history, philosophical underpinnings and contemporary practice of bioethics. Fellows attend a weekly three hour seminar designed to explore a wide range of issues, including ethical theory, clinical ethics, research ethics, and selected topics in public health ethics. Most weeks there is extensive reading and a brief paper. During the year, fellows participate in the intellectual life of the Division of Medical Ethics and are eligible to participate in Harvard University courses with permission of the course instructor as well as monthly division Faculty Seminars and various public programs in medical ethics sponsored by the Division. Fellows must have external salary support. The fellowship fee is $4,000. Most Fellows receive this support from their sponsoring institutions, and The Division of Medical Ethics will assist applicants who would like help approaching their sponsoring institutions with such a request. Fellows are selected on the basis of their previous academic achievement and the contribution they are likely to make as researchers, clinicians, and teachers in medical ethics. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a letter of not more than 750 words, describing the reasons for their interest in the Fellowship, including any particular topics or questions they are most interested in exploring. This letter is an important opportunity for applicants to tell us about themselves, their interests, and their motivations in pursuing training in medical ethics. Applicants should also provide two letters of reference and a third letter from their supervisor or key senior staff person, demonstrating institutional support for the candidate’s involvement in the HMS Fellowship and likely opportunities the candidate will have to contribute to bioethics at their home institution, upon completion of the Fellowship. Deadline for submission of application materials is April 15, 2013. Three copies of all application materials should be sent to: Professor Mildred Solomon, Fellowship Director If you have any questions please contact Helena at helena_martins@hms.harvard.edu or 617-432-3041. https://medethics.med.harvard.edu/education/fellowship/
Calls for Papers & Nominations The Hastings Center’s journal “IRB: Ethics & Human Research” is looking for articles on informed consent, IRB decision-making, payment to research participants, genetic research with humans, or any of the wide range of topics in human research ethics, you are invited to submit your to work. “We welcome empirical studies, conceptual pieces, and commentaries.” For more information, go to publications@thehastingscenter.org
Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., a national firm engaged in the practice of health care and life sciences law, is pleased to announce its Fifteenth Annual Health Law Writing Competition. The competition is designed to encourage the preparation of scholarly papers on current topics of interest relating to health law. Cash prizes will be awarded for the three best papers. Entrants should take advantage of the fact that health law is a very broad and diverse field, encompassing aspects of almost every area of law. Papers may address any traditional area of the law as applied to health care (e.g., antitrust, tax, corporate) or areas of law unique to health care (e.g., fraud and abuse, managed care, Medicare/Medicaid, clinical trials). Entries in the top 20 percent will be considered for publication in the Annals of Health Law, which is published by the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Additional information and an official entry form can be found here. Competition entries are due by January 25, 2013. Questions? Please contact Serra J. Schlanger at 202-861-0900 or ebgcompetition@ebglaw.com.
Other Items of Interest Unite for Sight has a “Global Health Volunteer Abroad Opportunity.” Locations of year-round programs are: Ghana, Honduras, and India. You can volunteer for 7 days, 15 days, 20 days, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, or more.
PROOF: Media for Social Justice: While most nonprofits focus on material needs such as food, medicine, and economic development, PROOF’s mission is to restore the social fabric of communities by caring “for the soul” through photo exhibits and workshops that emphasize reconciliation. PROOF brings former enemies together for face-to-face dialogue, using their exhibits as a starting point. They may have summer internship opportunities.
In a recent survey, 67% of Connecticut voters said they favored allowing a mentally competent adult dying of a terminal disease to make an end-of-life decision, for example, to request a prescription for medication from their doctors they can ingest to bring about a humane and dignified death. Compassion &Choices – Connecticut is leading the effort to pass a permissive Aid in Dying bill during this year’s legislative session. You can contact Tim Appleton at tappleton@compassionandchoices.org or give him a call at 860 922 1988 if you have questions or want to assist in this important issue.
You are invited to the opening of the new Saint Francis Center for Health Equity, home of the Curtis D. Robinson Men’s Health Institute, dedicated to eliminating health disparities. With all of my heart – know that this is the time for our beloved community to come alongside healthcare to shape equitable care. On January 14 we need community members to show up to affirm the mission we share to hear from our community. We need you – now more than ever! And bring a friend! For more information, please call (860) 714-5770 or email menshealth@stfranciscare.org. REGISTER – so we know how many folks will attend. THANKS SO MUCH! OUR WEBSITE: www.sfmhi.com. Dr. Marcus M. McKinney, LPC
Articles of Interest In the News Abortion Belluck, Pam. Pregnancy Centers Gain Influence in Anti-Abortion Arena. New York Times. 4 January 2013. Children Landau, Elizabeth. Allergy bullying: When food is a weapon. CNN. 5 January 2013. Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Rabin, Roni Caryn. Legalizing of Marijana Raises Health Concerns. New York Times. 7 January 2013. Education Cleverer Still. The Economist. 22 December 2012. Science has few more controversial topics than human intelligence—in particular, whether variations in it are a result of nature or nurture, and especially whether such variations differ between the sexes. The mines in this field can blow up an entire career, as Larry Summers found out in 2005 when he spoke of the hypothesis that the mathematical aptitude needed for physics and engineering, as well as for maths itself, is innately rarer in women than in men. He resigned as president of Harvard University shortly afterwards. Continue reading… Environment Kinver, Mark. Oil sands’ toxins ‘accumulate in freshwater evosystems.’ BBC News. 8 January 2013. Food Rosenthal, Elizabeth. As Biofuel Demand Grows, So Do Guatemala’s Hunger Pangs. New York Times. 5 January 2013. Welsh, Jennifer. Genetically Engineered Salmon is Perfectly Safe, FDA Says. Business Insider. 28 December 2012. Law and Bioethics Kansas hits up sperm donor for child support. CNN. 5 January 2013. Medical Ethics Walsh, Fergus. Could we ever run out of blood? BBC News. 8 January 2013. Urgent appeals for blood donors seem to be a regular event – certainly at this time of year. So what triggers an appeal and is it feasible that we could ever run out of blood? Continue reading… Public Health C. H. Fat Years. The Economist. 4 January 2013. Grady, Denise. Pap Test Could Help Find Cancers of Uterus and Ovaries. New York Times. 9 January 2013. Sifferlin, Alexandra. HPV Cases Remain High Despite Vaccine. CNN. 8 January 2013.
In the Journals Armstrong, Natalie. Do informed consent documents for cancer trials do what they should? Sociology of Health and Illness. 2012. Though patient information leaflets (PILs) are provided to those invited to take part in medical research, they usually fall short in facilitating informed decisions about participation. We aimed to explore why there is an enduring requirement for a process that seems not to ‘work’, and to explain why the problems have proven resistant to correction. We analysed applications for ethical approval for 13 oncology trials and related official guidance. We interviewed 26 patients invited to participate in the trials. Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method. We show that PILs function latently to satisfy purposes other than their manifest function as a decision-facilitating tool. PILs are the outcome of a process of institutional scripting that is strongly shaped by the accountability demands inherent in the ethical review process. This results in the PIL being made to serve purposes both as a prospectus and as a contract. Though PILs have value for some patients, most do not recognise these documents as operating primarily in their interests. Patients make decisions in ways that deviate from official ideals. This analysis is important in recognising that no simple technical fix is available, and in enhancing sociological understanding of the institutional role of documents. Continue reading… Erickson-Davis, Cordelia. Ethical concerns regarding commercialization of deep brain stimulation for obsessive compulsive disorder. Bioethics. 2012. Mascia, Katherine. The Bioethics of Providing Cochlear Implants to Children: Informed Choices and Autonomous Decision Making. Journal of the American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association. 2012. Mello, Michelle. Ethical considerations in studying drug safety: The Institute of Medicine Report. 2012.
Opinion Ars Technica Lee, Chris. Profits over your dead body. January 5, 2013. Los Angeles Times Editorial. Addressing an epidemic of Rx deaths. January 7, 2013. Editorial. Paying for results, not treatments. December 31, 2013. New York Times Letter to the Editor. Cost of medical care at the end of life. January 10, 2013. Seattle Times Editorial. Washington needs to get it right on marijuana rules. January 10, 2013. Letter to the Editor. Washington needs to get it right on marijuana rules. January 8, 2013. Washington Post Editorial. Repairs to Medicare. January 6, 2013. Editorial. Safer food is on the way. January 4, 2013. |