Prof. Bert Gordijn

The Ethics Institute provides research, teaching and services focussing on a broad range of ethical issues in science and healthcare, technology and innovation, and business and society. Furthermore, it contributes to national and international debates of concern to the public.

Technologies are developing faster and their impact is bigger than ever before. Synergies emerge between formerly independent technologies that trigger accelerated and unpredicted effects. Against this backdrop this new book series from Springer provides a forum for interdisciplinary discussion and normative analysis of emerging technologies that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment, society and/or humanity.

Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal that focuses on the ethical and legal issues that arise from emerging technologies. Technological advances provide opportunities and challenges that require a policy response. Studies in Ethics, Law, and Technology seeks high quality work that explores the synergy between law and ethics and provides a robust response to these opportunities and challenges.

The European Chemical Industry Council represents, directly or indirectly, about 27,000 large, medium and small chemical companies, which employ about 1.3 million people and account for nearly a third of world chemical production. The Long-Range Research Initiative sponsors research to help address some of the priorities of the European public health strategy. LRI also addresses many of the environmental objectives of the EU.

The European Patent Organisation is an intergovernmental organisation that was set up on 7 October 1977 on the basis of the European Patent Convention (EPC) signed in Munich in 1973. It has two bodies, the European Patent Office and the Administrative Council, which supervises the Office's activities. The Organisation currently has 34 member states.

Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy: A European Journal provides a forum for international exchange of research data, theories, reports and opinions on bioethics, and the philosophy of medicine and health care in general. The journal promotes interdisciplinary studies, and stimulates international exchange.

An international company of philosophers, physicians, ethicists and other interested professionals in the field established the ESPMH in 1987. They were all aware of the growing need for critical reflection on the role of medicine and health care in our present society. MEMBERS: 450 members from more than 40 countries. MAIN ACTIVITY: organization of annual conferences to be held in different European countries successively.

In 2005 a group of experts was established in order to assist the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) to draft a potential policy document in regard to ethics and nanotechnology. The members of the expert committee have also written a chapter for a UNESCO book "Nanotechnologies: science, ethics and policy issues".