Early Ethical Assessment: An Application to the Sustainability of Swine Body Scanners

An early ethics assessment method was used to evaluate sustainability goals and early findings from an automated body scanning technology for swine production. The project had twin goals of discovering potential pitfalls in the technology and exploring the applicability of the method, derived from the Ethical Matrix, as a tool to aid researchers in product design at very early stages in the research and development (R&D) process. This paper reports results on the second objective. Results of the evaluation workshop were coded and qualitatively analyzed. These results are reported and compared; the exercise is compared to the findings of other researchers using more traditional methods for ethical assessment on similar technologies, as well as standard social science methods for ascertaining economic sustainability and social acceptability of technological innovations. We conclude that the method has promise, especially for its applicability at very early stages in R&D, but that it does not substitute for analyses that occur at a much later stage in product or procedural development.

Five-to-five clear aligner therapy: predictable orthodontic movement for general dentist to achieve minimally invasive dentistry

Background Esthetic dentistry has become a very important aspect of every dental treatment from the patient perspective, whether it is orthodontics or implant therapy. The aim of this article is to describe the advantages of a newly developed branch of five-to-five clear aligner therapy (CAT) (Invisalign Go, Align Technology, San Jose, Calif) in interdisciplinary treatments especially in terms of minimally invasive interventions. Case presentation Two case reports are presented together with a comprehensive analysis using the SAFE (Safety, Assessment, Function, Ethics) assessment. This paper aims to introduce a new systematic in CAT. Invisalign Go (Align Technology, Santa Clara, California, USA) allows orthodontic treatment from second premolar and second premolar in both arches. It is specially designed for general practitioners devoted to restorative dentistry for a better planning of a multidisciplinary and mini-invasive treatment plan. Discussion and conclusion The clinical results demonstrate how CAT is extremely useful in multidisciplinary treatment plan in order to straighten teeth especially in a pre-restorative phase to allow minimally invasive and adhesive restorations.

Ethics appraisal procedure in 79,670 Marie Skłodowska-Curie proposals from the entire European HORIZON 2020 research and innovation program (2014–2020): A retrospective analysis

Introduction Horizon 2020 was the most significant EU Research and Innovation programme ever implemented and included the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). Proposals submitted to the MSCA actions awere subject to the Ethics Appraisal Procedure. In this work we explored the ethics appraisal procedure in MSCA H2020. Methods Using a retrospective analysis of pooled anonymized data, we explored the ethics appraisal procedure on proposals submitted to Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) during the entire Horizon 2020 program period (N = 79,670). Results Our results showed that one of the most frequently identified ethics categories was Data protection. We also detected slight differences between applicants’ and the ethics reviewers’ awareness of ethical issues. Trajectory analysis of all ethics screened proposals appearing on main lists showed that a minimal portion of all screened submissions required additional ethics checks in the project implementation phase. Conclusion Personal data protection is one of the most represented ethics categories indicated among MSCA actions which exhaust ethics assessment efforts and may lead to “overkills” in ethics requirements. Excluding the majority of personal data protection assessment from the ethics assessment, except for parts which are directly related to ethics like “Informed consent procedures”, might be necessary in the future. A gap in understanding of ethics issues between applicants and reviewers’ points to the necessity to further educate researchers on research ethics issues.

In search for shared content and design in supervision training: a syllabus analysis in Sweden

PurposePrevious research has pointed to a lack of studies concerning supervision training courses. Consequently, the literature has little to suggest, and the research field is underexplored, so questions around the content and design of supervision training courses remain unanswered and need to be addressed systematically. The main aim of the present study is to explore and map whether shared content and design exist in supervisor training courses across different vocations.Design/methodology/approachA syllabus analysis is used in order to investigate characteristic features in supervisor training courses related to the professions of dentist, doctor, psychologist, police officer and teacher.FindingsThe results point to the existence of shared content in the different courses, such as an emphasis on learning and supervision theories, feedback, ethics, assessment and communication. Furthermore, the results conclude similarities in design of the courses, such as a problem-based approach, seminars, lectures and homework. Thus, there are common theoretical approaches to important supervisory competences.Practical implicationsOur results intend to offer possibilities to learn from different professions when improving supervisor training courses but may also constitute a starting point for developing a shared model of interprofessional supervisor competences. Furthermore, the results may support possible cooperation in interprofessional courses. This could include arranging interprofessional courses, where one part is shared for participants from the included professions and another part is profession-specific.Originality/valueWe seek to contribute to the research field of supervision at workplaces with knowledge and ideas about how to learn from different professions when developing and improving supervisor training courses.

Possible advantages of the clinical policy ethics assessment tool: institutional support or unnecessary bureaucracy?

Contemporary healthcare practice has been progressively more regulated to increase efficiency, service user safety and practice quality. However, ethical issues in clinical practice that have not been implemented into regulations are undervalued by policymakers and healthcare institutions Considering the issues found by other authors, the use of a simple tool for policymakers to consider recurrent ethical issues could reduce those issues in a policy-driven clinical practice. The lack of tools to support structured ethical assessment of clinical policies was the main reason to create the Clinical Policy Ethics Assessment Tool, but we realised of its possible advantages: limiting ethical dilemmas posed by policies, ensuring ethical practice by the use of policies and developing a consistent process for policymakers, institutions and healthcare professionals. Nonetheless, even if a tool can be implemented and it supports the creation of policies that reduce ethical issues, if the healthcare professionals are not aware of them they will not be implemented and the issues will continue.

Technology ethics in the public schools system : developing a technology ethics assessment tool through policy analysis at the secondary level

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Technology ethics seeks to identify the ways in which individuals and organizations might develop and sustain optimal relationships with the various technologies in their personal and professional lives. Secondary public schools have considered technology primarily through only a few very important but rudimentary lenses. The problem of practice was grounded in the ability and willingness of public schools to respond to the changing technological landscape in a way that was timely and meaningful. This study followed an exploratory sequential design and was two pronged: first, it investigated the ways public high schools supported technology ethics through their technology policies at the district and building levels; second, it developed a technology ethics assessment tool.

Technology for Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility

Currently ethics assessment and reputation have no small part in dealing, selecting business partners, sanctions implied by regulatory bodies, etc. Social responsibility concept is a relatively new principle in the modern business ethics. Active and successful implementation of social responsibility of business has started throughout the world. Companies do not just try to resolve social problems, investing into development of education, healthcare, science and industry, supporting socially disadvantaged groups and taking care of environmental safeguards; they also get certain benefits from these activities.

Ethics assessment in research proposals adopting CRISPR technology

The rapid and exponential growth of genome editing has posed many challenges for bioethics. This article briefly explains the nature of the technique and the particularly rapid development of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) technology. The international and, specifically, European-level systems for assessing the ethical issues consequent on these developments are outlined and discussed. The challenges posed by cases in China are summarized to raise concerns about how a more shared, universally consistent appraisal of bioethical issues can be promoted.