Conference to expand awareness about benefits of human tissue research

When you have blood taken for a test or have tissue removed for a biopsy, it may be used for medical research. While there are clear benefits to such research, medical and health care professionals need to be aware of cultural and confidentiality concerns on the part of patients.

Members of the Creighton University faculty and others will present on those topics as part of "The Use of Human Tissue and Public Trust: The Chasm Between Science and Ethics," an upcoming conference sponsored by Creighton's Center for Health Policy and Ethics (CHPE) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Research Integrity.

The conference will take place Monday, Sept. 19, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., in the Ahmanson Ballroom at Creighton's Harper Center, 602 N. 20 St., in Omaha. It is free and open to the public. Registration is online at http://chpe.creighton.edu.

The conference is designed to expand awareness about the importance of weighing the benefits of knowledge derived from tissue research against such issues as cultural traditions and beliefs; exploring the concept of trust among patients, especially from the perspectives of populations vulnerable to exploitation or marginalization; and identifying gaps in communication and understanding between the science community and the public regarding the use of human tissue.

The event is designed for physicians, physician assistants, nurses, health care educators, public health professionals, medical students, and members of the public.

CHPE Professor John R. Stone, M.D., Ph.D. will give a presentation on "Ethical Issues - Trust and Trustworthiness, Dispelling Myths." Stone has often focused on social justice in his work, particularly health inequalities that affect minority populations.

Other Creighton faculty members involved in the conference include CHPE Director Amy Haddad, Ph.D., the Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Endowed Chair in the Health Sciences, who is the primary organizer of the conference, and Donald Frey, M.D., vice president for health sciences, who will welcome attendees.

"The conference speakers are top scholars and researchers in health care ethics and related fields, and we are really honored to host them at the conference," said Dr. Haddad. "In addition, the agenda is packed with sessions that will cover cutting-edge topics in the field. Attendees will come away with so much more understanding of this complex, sensitive, and challenging issue, which is increasingly prominent in health care."