The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (Commission) next meets on August 31 in Philadelphia. The Commission recently released a draft agenda for the meeting, which will focus on the role of national bioethics advisory panels, both in the U.S. and around the world. (As usual, you can access a webcast of the meeting from the Commission website.)
This topic has been a focus for the Commission of late, and with no additional meetings scheduled (as of this writing), a report on this topic (formal or not) may be the last one from this Commission. Those interested in a peak at what the Commission might release should look at the History section of the Commission website. It’s focused on the U.S., but the Commission has cast a broader net in its study of the topic. Hopefully some of it’s work on advisory bodies outside of the U.S. gets a broader audience before the Commission disbands.
I’ll take time to be more reflective of the Commission’s work after the August meeting (and any subsequent meetings, should there be any). But 26 meetings since 2010 and at least 10 substantial reports reflect a significant output from the Commission members and staff.