“If we stay ready, we don’t have to get ready.” Last month, Michigan policymakers were invited to attend a special event in the long-running Bioethics for Breakfast series. “The next pandemic is coming: neglected lessons from COVID-19” was presented over lunch in downtown Lansing’s Anderson House Office Building, complete with a perfect view of the capitol building. Speakers Keith English, MD, and Heatherlun Uphold, PhD, focused on vaccine safety, and increasing equitable access to vaccines in Michigan communities. Keith English spoke on the role of vaccines in future pandemics, first providin ..read more

We look forward to presenting a webinar next month from Center Assistant Professor Michelle T. Pham, PhD, on “Clinician Perspectives on Levels of Evidence and Oversight for Deep Brain Stimulation for Treatment-Resistant Childhood OCD.” This virtual event is free to attend and open to all individuals. Wednesday, November 15, 2023 1:30-2:30 PM EST (UTC−05:00) Zoom webinar registration: bit.ly/bps-pham Approximately 10-20% of children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have treatment-resistant presentations, and there is likely interest in developing interventions for this patient group, w ..read more

A new web-based decision aid is now available to help families make choices about deep brain stimulation (DBS) for childhood dystonia. This informative website, pediatricdbs.com, was developed after conducting interviews with families who have had this treatment, and with physicians who have administered this treatment. This decision aid is meant to equip individuals and families with more information to consider and to discuss with their physician. Information such as patient stories, what to expect from DBS, advice for caregivers, and more can be accessed to help families make informed decis ..read more

Leonard M. Fleck, PhD, has been named University Distinguished Professor, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a faculty member by the university. Fleck is appointed in both the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice and the Department of Philosophy. In conversation, Fleck reflected on his nearly 40-year career at Michigan State University. “I’m very honored. I’ve always felt very supported by my faculty colleagues—both in the College of Human Medicine and several other colleges at MSU—as well as by the College of Human Medicine leadership,” said Fleck. “There’s just lots of thi ..read more

The Center for Bioethics and Social Justice at Michigan State University is excited to welcome new faculty member M. Ariel Cascio, PhD, who starts in August. Cascio has an anthropology and neuroethics background, and their work is also oriented around research ethics, disability studies, and medical education. Cascio received their PhD in anthropology from Case Western Reserve University in 2015. Their research has focused on ethical and social issues related to autism and neurodiversity more broadly. During their dissertation research, Cascio spent almost a year in Italy conducting ethnograp ..read more

Leonard Fleck, PhD, recently traveled to Lisbon, Portugal to present the keynote lecture at the conference “Precision Medicine Conference: Ethical and Legal Issues.” This international conference was held at Universidade Nova de Lisboa and sponsored by the Erasmus University School of Health Policy and Management. Fleck’s address on the ethical and legal issues of precision medicine is available to watch on YouTube, along with other content from the conference. Fleck’s address begins around the 11-minute mark of the video. An audience of in-person and virtual conference attendees included law ..read more

The 2022-2023 Bioethics Public Seminar Series continues next month with a webinar from Center Assistant Professor Michelle T. Pham, PhD, on “Clinician Perspectives on the Potential of DBS for Pediatric Patients with Treatment-Resistant OCD.” This virtual event is free to attend and open to all individuals. Wednesday, February 15, 2023 1:30-2:30 PM EST (UTC−05:00) Zoom webinar registration: bit.ly/bioethics-pham The World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery has argued that at least two successful randomized controlled trials should be available before deep brain stimulati ..read more

Center Assistant Professor Jennifer McCurdy, PhD, BSN, MH, HEC-C, presented “Beyond Patient Behavior: Using Structural Competency to Create Health Equity” at the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) 26th Annual Conference on Bioethics: Contemporary Challenges in Clinical Bioethics in November. McCurdy’s presentation explored the social, political, and economic contexts that act as barriers to patients care and impede physicians’ ability to effectively treat them. McCurdy asked those in attendance the following questions: Have you ever experienced moral distress or frustration associated with ..read more

Megan Hoberg and Pamela Hoekwater of Legal Aid of Western Michigan presented at the December 1st Bioethics for Breakfast session, offering their insight and expertise on the topic “Medical Legal Partnerships: A Tool to Help Address the Social Determinants of Health.” Bioethics for Breakfast is generously sponsored by Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman. The session provided an overview of medical legal partnerships (MLPs) and their impact, discussing the Legal Aid of Western Michigan (LAWM) partnership with Cherry Health—Michigan’s largest Federally Qualified Health Center that operates ..read more

Originally published by Cornell University Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science By Patricia Waldron In person, people with disabilities often experience microaggressions – comments or subtle insults based on stereotypes – but similar interactions, as well as new types of microaggressions, play out online as well. A new study by researchers at Cornell and Michigan State University finds that those constant online slights add up. Interviews revealed that microaggressions affect their self-esteem and change how people with disabilities use social media. Ideally, digi ..read more