The Republic of Korea held the inaugural AP-NEC meeting in 2017.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting for National Bioethics/Ethics Committees is held once in every two years and brings together national ethics committees, as well as ethics/bioethics focal points in governments, from around the world to share their thoughts and experiences in relation to bioethical issues.

The Regional Meeting takes place between the Global Summit of Bioethics Committees. This is a biennial forum for national bioethics representatives to share information and experiences on ethical issues in health and public health. It is a platform for discussion and formulates consensus on a wide range of prominent ethical topics.

For more information on the Global Summit, is available on the WHO website:

• The Global Summit of National Bioethics Committees

Meeting details

22–23 October 2019, Wellington, New Zealand.

Theme

Reducing Inequities through Solutions-Oriented Bioethics

We have chosen to develop previous discussions, and respond to the Global Summit’s ‘Call for Action’ through a focus on equity in health and what solutions bioethics can offer to inequity. The concept of equity in health is an ethical principle, closely related to human rights; in particular, the right of all humans to experience good health. Bioethics has a role to play in addressing inequity both nationally and internationally. Solutions-orientated bioethics draws on the practical and sometimes pragmatic aspects of bioethics, where real world situations are ethically analysed using the bioethics framework. Achieving equity in health involves ethical deliberation across public health, global health, research, and clinical ethics.

Inequities are unfair differences in such things as people’s opportunities for well-being. Differences in opportunities for well-being are unfair when they are related to such things as unjust social privilege, arising for instance from discrimination. The presence or absence of social privilege often determines the health status of individuals. Pursuing equity in health means trying to reduce avoidable gaps in health status and health services between different levels of social privilege. Equity recognises that different people with different levels of advantage may require different approaches and resources to achieve equitable outcomes.

Programme

AP-NEC 2 will consist of six substantive sessions:

• Session 1 will explore the ethical challenges posed by the impacts of climate change on inequities in health.
• Session 2 will explore the ethics of how emerging technologies may increase or decrease inequities in health.
• Session 3 will explore ethics in the context of indigenous peoples, both to address the health inequities faced by population groups and to consider ethical frameworks developed within such cultures.
• Session 4 will explore challenges and opportunities for strengthening national capacities for bioethics, including the establishment, operationalisation, training, and agenda-setting for NECs.
• Session 5 will invite delegations to develop plans for next steps towards advancing action on priority issues.
• Session 6 will invite delegations to consider how progress should be measured, for reflection at future meetings.

If you have an interest in attending please complete the form.

Official invitations will be issued through the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific Office. Support for travel costs may be provided, as appropriate, based on eligibility and need.