Press Releases

At a public meeting in Istanbul on Thursday, 26 March 2015, the German Ethics Council launched an intercultural exchange with Turkish researchers. The subject was ethical decisions at the end of life in an intercultural context. Considering the large percentage of patients of Turkish origin in Germany and a growing percentage of German-born patients being treated in Turkey, the German Ethics Council would like to contribute to a better mutual understanding and a culturally sensitive approach to end-of-life situations.

Close to 30 members of parliament accepted the German Ethics Council's invitation to its sixth Parliamentary Evening at the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament) in Berlin on 18 March.

Burnout, chronic migraine, male menopause – are these ailments real conditions or are they simply made up illnesses? Are social problems being reframed as diseases? At the public Bioethics Forum of 25 February 2015, the German Ethics Council discussed the balancing act between unwarranted medicalization and essential therapy.

In its opinion published today, the German Ethics Council addresses the controversy concerning brain death. The Council calls for improvements in information and communication surrounding organ donation. Moreover, it calls for legislation regarding measures related to organ protection.

At its public plenary meeting on 27 November, the German Ethics Council addressed the topic of assisted suicide and plans to issue a recommendation on the basis of this discussion.

Day-to-day hospital routine caught between ethical requirements and economic constraints – this was the topic of the public autumn conference of the German Ethics Council which welcomed visitors to Dresden on 22 October 2014.