KARACHI, Oct 4: The first-ever Centre of Biomedical Ethics and Culture (CBEC) in the country will be inaugurated at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant (SIUT) on Oct 8.

The director of Centre for Biomedical Ethics from University of Virginia, USA, Prof Paul A. Lombardo, will speak on "Origin and evaluation of Eugenics: Impact on modern genetic research" at the inaugural session being held at the Agha Hassan Abedi Auditorium at SIUT. Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof Atta-ur-Rehman will be the chief guest.

Biomedical ethics attempts to address such questions of moral relevance in relationship to physician-patient relationship, healthcare delivery systems, and biomedical and technological research.

The birth of modern biomedics as a distinct discipline occurred in the US in 1960s. This was a response to the novel ethical dilemmas arising with the explosive advances in biomedical sciences and technology, and for which traditional codes of professional conduct could provide little guidance.

The country lacks a centre devoted specifically to education and research in bioethics with a focus on issues that are germane, and relevant to the local cultural and socio-economic realities.

The centre will explore the distinctive influence of indigenous culture and values in moral comprehension, an area that has received insufficient attention in modern bioethics. The CBEC will thus provide a unique and much needed cultural perspective to enrich the largely secular and philosophical nature of modern bioethical discourse.