Friday, September 28, 2007, 12-2 p.m.

The brain at the intersection of ethics and the public

The history of neuroscience shows that popular depiction of the brain and neuroscience has had an important role in shaping ethical debates and the public acceptance of neuroscience innovation. Today, neuroscience research is gaining public interest and the media are an inescapable component in the transfer of knowledge to the public.

This talk will focus on the ethical consequences of public understanding of neuroscience and related researcher responsibilities. First, I will present results of a large-scale comparative analysis of media content in the US and in the UK. Second, I will present results showing ethical and regulatory gaps in the marketing of neuropharmaceuticals and neuroimaging services to the public. I will highlight and discuss ethical challenges in the dissemination of research and the commercialization of neuroscience.