For Fame or Money? The Dark Side of Ten Amazing Medical Firsts

Today’s show is a conversation about the dark side of ten amazing medical firsts. In each case, the doctor’s desire to be first, whether for fame or money, clouded their judgment and put them in direct conflict with their ethical duty as medical scientists.

Bioethicist, Greg Pence, elaborates on these ten amazing medical firsts, and discusses the ethical questions surrounding them.

About Our Guest

Gregory Pence is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

He has written seven books, including three on human cloning: Who’s Afraid of Human Cloning?, Cloning After Dolly, and What We Talk About When We Talk About Clone Club: Bioethics and Philosophy in Orphan Black. He is also the author of the standard textbook in bioethics: Medical Ethics, which is now in its eighth edition.

In 2001, Greg testified before Congress to discourage them from passing a bill that would make any attempt at human cloning a Federal Crime. He has published numerous op-ed essays including ones appearing in Newsweek, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal.