The Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics (SCBE) was chosen to become one of the first Centers for Excellence in Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of genetic research through funds made available by the National Human Genome Research Institute. In July 2004, the Center started a 5 - year mission devoted to the proactive identification and integration of ELSI considerations into the design and conduct of current and emerging genetic research. Under the leadership of Mildred Cho, PhD, Judy Illes, PhD, and Joachim Hallmayer, MD, one aspect of the center will focus on identifying the ethical and social issues arising from research on the genetic contributions to, and mechanisms of, behavior and neurogenetic conditions using autism as a model. The initial research questions will examine the social evolution of autism as a disease and identity by investigating the history of funding for autism research, the changes in diagnostic criteria, the effects of medicalization and commercialization and the impact of educational and parent advocacy forces. The ultimate goal will be to convene a multi-disciplinary Behavioral and Neurogenetics Working Group that will draw from neuroethics, psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, philosophy, law, health policy and others.

Neuroethics.upenn.edu is a source of information on neuroethics, provided by the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.

Here you will find:
* summaries of neuroethical issues prepared expressly for this website
* pointers to the literature with links to downloadable articles or article abstracts
* exclusive interviews with leaders in the field, focusing on their particular areas of expertise
* links to other relevant websites on neuroethics, neuroscience, and policy
other sources of education and amusement, including neuroethics course syllabi, a neuroethics conference calendar, and a listing of novels and films that deal with neuroethical issues.

Our goal is to inform students and professionals in bioethics, neuroscience, medicine, business, education and law, and all other interested readers who surf our way.

The Neuroethics and Law Blog is an interdisciplinary forum for legal and ethical issues related to the brain and cognition. It is meant to be of interest to bioethicists, legal academics, lawyers, neuroscientists, neurologists, cognitive scientists, psychologists, psychiatrists, philosophers, criminologists, behavioral economists, and others.

The Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE) is a network of scholars elaborating the law, policy and ethics of freedom of thought. Our mission is to develop social policies that will preserve and enhance freedom of thought into the 21st century.

Zack Lynch, managing director of NeuroInsights, is an economic and social forecaster advising global organizations on the impact of neurotechnology on business, government and society. He serves on the advisory boards of the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics, Global Neuroscience Initiative, and SocialText, a social software company. He is currently finishing his book on Neurosociety: How Brain Science Will Shape the Future of Business, Politics and Culture.

Neuroscience is rapidly increasing our knowledge of the functioning, and malfunctioning, of that intricate three-pound organ, the human brain. When science expands our understanding of something so central to human existence, these advances will necessarily cause changes in both our society and its laws. This paper seeks to forecast and explore the social and legal changes that neuroscience might bring in four areas: prediction, litigation, confidentiality and privacy, and patents. It complements the paper in this volume written by Professor Stephen Morse, which covers issues of personhood and responsibility, informed consent, the reform of existing legal doctrines, enhancement of normal brain functions, and the admissibility of neuroscience evidence.

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