Global Bioethics: An Extension of Bioethics"™ Agenda

Abstract

During the last decade, the global dimension of justice and its effects in global health is being increasingly incorporated into the bioethics agenda. "Global health ethics" (or "global bioethics") refers to a new "set of mind" intended to explore the strategies for reframing the global health agenda, and to understand the duties of wealthy nations and citizens within a universal social contract. Solomon Benatar defines it as "a suggested means through which to promote widely values that include meaningful respect for human life, human rights, equity, freedom, democracy, environmental sustainability, and solidarity". The agenda of global bioethics is so wide that some structure and limits setting is necessary. The purpose of this brief paper is helping to clarify the nature and the objectives of global bioethics, and to identify the prototypical problems it deals with.