Biologia Futura - Latest Special Issue

Volume 72, issue 2, June 2021 (this opens in a new tab)

Title: Special Issue: Science, Ethics, Responsibility and COVID-19

Issue editor: Péter Lőw

Since the Second World War, a great number of ethical standards have been developed to protect science and society from misconduct in scientific research, such as abusive experimentation, fraudulent research reports, professional jealousy or rivalry, or misuse of scientific funding. Ethics and responsibility are important human values; however, they are rarely mentioned together with science. In the twenty first century, ways of separating the scientific method from values, beliefs and opinions are no longer self-evident and the complex realities of science call for a greater consensus in the ethical principles of scientific research.

In this special issue of Biologia Futura authors connect these concepts in many different aspects. S. Hendriks discusses how science should be ethically conducted. G. Hermerén guides us to realize that even the beneficent regenerative medicine hides ethical pitfalls. A. Kagansky et al. investigate in what way we can utilize the predicted value of biomolecular diversity for drug discovery, human health and well-being. Nevertheless, pharmaceutical drug development is an expensive project. How to share resources between basic research and innovation? S. Annett looks into the dilemma how the pharmaceutical investments pay off: by high drug prices or through public funding. We learn from M. Hassan and D. Schäffer’s paper that no one can escape the moral imperative of money: a nation’s priorities are well visible from the investments in science. How can science funding be made more transparent and just? Leaders must be given good and independent advices by a nation’s academy of science. K. Lohne explores what ethical capacities the academy has and what its challenges are. Why is it so crucial for academic scientists to take part in the policy making process? Finally, I. Nath wrote about how science is responsible for peace. Nations do not work in different sciences: we share the building we are mutually constructing. What one begins, the other continues and ultimately the result can be claimed by all who have contributed to its creation.

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