Rethinking animals in research: Developing a novel ethical framework. Current approaches to animal ethics face challenges addressing significant problems in animal research. These problems include: harms to research workers and animals, poor translation of results from animals to humans leading to ineffective treatments and poorly directed future research efforts. This project addresses these challenges by developing an innovative, empirically-informed relational approach to animal ethics. The n ....Rethinking animals in research: Developing a novel ethical framework. Current approaches to animal ethics face challenges addressing significant problems in animal research. These problems include: harms to research workers and animals, poor translation of results from animals to humans leading to ineffective treatments and poorly directed future research efforts. This project addresses these challenges by developing an innovative, empirically-informed relational approach to animal ethics. The new approach will deliver a novel framework that minimises harms to humans and animals, and improves the quality of results obtained from experiments. Benefits include a more ethically robust practice of animal research and more targeted deployment of finite research resources.Read moreRead less
Religion, pluralism, and healthcare practice: a philosophical assessment. This project aims to develop a systematic approach to accommodating religious values and practices in healthcare. Current approaches are ad hoc and discriminatory, and in an increasingly religiously diverse contemporary Australia, a systematic approach is needed. This project will consider and provide policy advice on how healthcare could be reformed so that the issue of accommodation of religious values and practices is t ....Religion, pluralism, and healthcare practice: a philosophical assessment. This project aims to develop a systematic approach to accommodating religious values and practices in healthcare. Current approaches are ad hoc and discriminatory, and in an increasingly religiously diverse contemporary Australia, a systematic approach is needed. This project will consider and provide policy advice on how healthcare could be reformed so that the issue of accommodation of religious values and practices is treated in a consistent and ethical manner. The benefit of the project will be a better, cost effective, model for healthcare management that reduces disparities for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.Read moreRead less
Defining disease: Addressing the problem of overdiagnosis. This project will investigate and define the limits of physical disease, to answer questions about when a presentation is a disease, and when it is simply a risk factor or mild condition. The ensuing account of disease will make a practical contribution to growing international concern about asymptomatic people being diagnosed and treated for conditions that will not cause any health problems ("overdiagnosis"). The research will provide ....Defining disease: Addressing the problem of overdiagnosis. This project will investigate and define the limits of physical disease, to answer questions about when a presentation is a disease, and when it is simply a risk factor or mild condition. The ensuing account of disease will make a practical contribution to growing international concern about asymptomatic people being diagnosed and treated for conditions that will not cause any health problems ("overdiagnosis"). The research will provide normative grounds for evaluating disease claims. Results will reduce the harm caused by people receiving treatment that they do not require, make a practical contribution to debates about the scope of health care, and yield findings that can help to reduce the cost-burdens associated with overdiagnosis.Read moreRead less
Vulnerability, autonomy and justice. Vulnerable people require assistance and care. But what are our responsibilities in relation to the vulnerable? And how can we provide assistance and care while avoiding stereotyping or paternalism? This research will advance ethical theory and be useful in solving practical problems in health research and policy.
How do we know what works: ethics and evidence in surgical research. This project will make surgery safer for patients by improving our understanding of evidence in surgery. We will look at the question "what works" in surgery. The resources we develop will help practitioners and regulators to better navigate and manage the complex ethical and practical challenges in this field.
A new understanding of responsibility in the ethics of human reproduction. New developments in reproductive medicine and prenatal testing technologies are transforming pregnancy and generating difficult moral and policy questions for parents and the Australian community. This project will provide a new framework for reproductive responsibility that helps to ensure a healthy start to life for all Australians.
Ethical and Social Issues in Translating Epigenetics into Antenatal Care. This project aims to investigate how knowledge about the intergenerational transmission of health and disease is shaping antenatal care in Australia. It expects to generate new knowledge about how the science of epigenetics can be used to address social inequality and is anticipated to have impact across the social sciences, bioethics and public health. Expected outcomes of the project include novel theoretical approaches ....Ethical and Social Issues in Translating Epigenetics into Antenatal Care. This project aims to investigate how knowledge about the intergenerational transmission of health and disease is shaping antenatal care in Australia. It expects to generate new knowledge about how the science of epigenetics can be used to address social inequality and is anticipated to have impact across the social sciences, bioethics and public health. Expected outcomes of the project include novel theoretical approaches to the ethics of pregnancy, along with guidance tools to shape the use of epigenetics in antenatal care and social policy to reduce social inequalities. This should provide significant benefits, improving information and support available to vulnerable women as they negotiate maternal health and social services. Read moreRead less
An analysis of foetal imaging and the ethics of the selective termination of pregnancy. This project examines the impacts of routine obstetric ultrasound on the experience of pregnancy, focusing on the ethics of selective termination following diagnosis of abnormalities. The project contributes to the national research priority goal of a healthy start to life, by examining the ethical aspects of ensuring foetal health in Australia.
Regulating Autologous Stem Cell Therapies in Australia. This project aims to develop an ethical and regulatory framework for the use of autologous adult stem cell therapies in Australia. These therapies are increasingly being offered to patients for diseases and conditions that lack scientific evidence of safety and efficacy. This study aims to address this problem using a mixed methods approach to generate empirical data and theoretical, ethical and legal insights that will guide the responsibl ....Regulating Autologous Stem Cell Therapies in Australia. This project aims to develop an ethical and regulatory framework for the use of autologous adult stem cell therapies in Australia. These therapies are increasingly being offered to patients for diseases and conditions that lack scientific evidence of safety and efficacy. This study aims to address this problem using a mixed methods approach to generate empirical data and theoretical, ethical and legal insights that will guide the responsible development, translation and regulation of innovative stem cell therapies in Australia and internationally. Anticipated outcomes will improve patient advocacy and public knowledge about adult stem cell therapies, and facilitate better relationships between patients, researchers and clinicians.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200101301
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,023.00
Summary
The impact of micro gender biases on women's careers: the case of surgery. This project aims to investigate how small, cumulative gender biases affect women's career paths and progression in surgery, with implications for relevantly similar careers. Women surgeons show gendered patterns of subspecialty selection, experience a pay gap relative to men, and are less likely to be involved in innovation. The project will use philosophical theories of epistemic injustice and moral aggregation to provi ....The impact of micro gender biases on women's careers: the case of surgery. This project aims to investigate how small, cumulative gender biases affect women's career paths and progression in surgery, with implications for relevantly similar careers. Women surgeons show gendered patterns of subspecialty selection, experience a pay gap relative to men, and are less likely to be involved in innovation. The project will use philosophical theories of epistemic injustice and moral aggregation to provide new ways of understanding workplace gender discrimination, and qualitative methods to test their applicability in surgery. It will contribute new knowledge about invisible barriers to women’s career progression in surgery and similar careers, and make theoretical contributions to feminist epistemology and moral theory.Read moreRead less