Bioethics and the reinforcement of socio-technical expectations

Hedgecoe, Adam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8965-3889 2010. Bioethics and the reinforcement of socio-technical expectations. Social Studies of Science 40 (2) , pp. 163-186. 10.1177/0306312709349781

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Abstract

Over the past few years, considerable interest has been paid to the way in which social expectations (hopes, hypes, fears) about new genomic technologies help shape, and in themselves are shaped by, emerging technologies, regulatory regimes and social concerns. In comparison, little attention has been paid to the role of expectations in related, but non-scientific discourses, such as bioethics. Drawing on a review of publications addressing the ethical issues associated with pharmacogenetics, this paper presents a detailed critique of bioethicists’ contribution to these debates. The review highlights how, almost a decade after bioethical debate around pharmacogenetics started, and in contrast to the profession’s self-perception as a form of regulator, bioethicists still largely restrict themselves to reviews of possible ethical issues raised by this technology, rather than critiquing others’ positions and arguing for specific points of view. In addition the paper argues that bioethicists tend to: accept unquestioningly scientists’ expectations about the development and ethical issues raised by pharmacogenetics; ignore contributions from bioethicists who do question these expectations; and engage in an ethical debate, the boundaries of which have been laid down and defined by academic and industry scientists. The paper concludes by offering some possible explanations for why the bioethical discourse has taken this form.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics (CESAGen) Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BJ Ethics H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	bioethics; pharmacogenetics; pharmacogenomics; regulatory capture; sociology of bioethics; socio-technical expectations
Publisher:	SAGE
ISSN:	0306-3127
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 14:37
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/25403

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