Panel Discusses Portrayal Of Bioethical Issues In Fiction Film

About a week ago, a group of bioethicists from Johns Hopkins University traveled to Hollywood for a panel on bioethics and film. The National Academy of Sciences' project, called The Science and Entertainment Exchange, hosted the event.

At the panel, directors and the bioethicists discussed how moral medical issues should be portrayed in film. Bioethics is a discipline concerned with the ethical implications of biological research and practice in medicine.

Among the conversation topics were how to allocate precious medical resources, the array of human enhancements available like genetic engineering, and how health data and privacy can either mix together or clash.

"Storytellers really enjoy working at the edge of the bell curve," said Rick Loverd, head of The Science and Entertainment Exchange, in an article published by NPR. "Where it's unclear where the right answer is and there's moral ambiguity. Thinking about bioethics really engages an audience about thinking about the future."

Films with storylines centering around bioethical decisions include My Sister's Keeper, which covered issues of ALA typing and artificial reproduction, and Dirty Pretty Things, which tackles the issue of organ trafficking. Even comedies can portray bioethical decisions, such as Baby Mama, which deals with the moral implications of surrogate pregnancy.

According to its website, The Science and Entertainment Exchange "connects entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers to create a synergy between accurate science and engaging storylines in both film and TV programming. From a quick fact check to a special briefing, The Exchange provides quick and easy access to experts from all the scientific disciplines. The goal of The Exchange is to use the vehicle of popular entertainment media to deliver sometimes subtle, but nevertheless powerful, messages about science."

Accurate portrayal of events and issues like those in bioethics is just one of the many rules and guidelines for screenwriters in Hollywood. Check out Kevin Casey's ScreenCraft post, The Sixteenth “Platinum Rule” of Screenwriting