Videos of the conferences and round tables of this meeting are available now
Opening lecture: Creating Impact Together
- Bert Molewijk.
Round table 1: Ethics committees, citizenship and deliberation
- Lydia Feito, Juan Pablo Beca, Tomás Domingo, Olga Rubio and Núria Terribas
Round table 2: Humanisation of healthcare
- Carme Bertral, Esther Giménez-Salinas, Javier Rivas, Andoni Lorenzo and Montserrat Busquets
Lecture: Making bioethics accessible to citizens
- Francesc Torralba
Round table 3: Autonomy and vulnerable populations
- Aurea Autet, Pep Solé, Núria Terribas, Jordi Amblàs and Bernabé Robles
Round table 4: Citizen participation and public voices
- Milagros Pérez Oliva, Mònica Terribas, Espartac Peran and Begoña Roman
Closing lecture: Bioethics for citizens with citizens
- Victòria Camps
On 5 March, the Víctor Grífols i Lucas Foundation presented its Ethics and Science Awards for schools, recognizing health, scientific and social projects that promote awareness and ethical reflection among students.
This year, the first prize went to the project entitled “Evolution from a genetic perspective”, from the Barres i Ones Secondary School in Barcelona. The cases involving payment in exchange for iris scans sparked students' critical thinking through similar scenarios closely related to genetics.
The second prize went to the project “Moments for you”, from the Salvador Seguí Secondary School in Barcelona. This project involves a training program which offers free hairdressing services to the homeless to improve their self-esteem and facilitate social reintegration.
Finally, the third prize went to the project “The city we need” by the Garbí Pere Vergés school in Esplugues de Llobregat. In this project, students designed sustainable cities by integrating science, ethics and technology.
The award-winning students and teachers presented their projects at the awards ceremony, held at the Grífols Museum, where they also enjoyed a guided tour of the museum.
The call for abstracts for bioethics awards and grants wil be open until 31 May. You can register online and submit projects via our website.
The Bioethics Awards and Grant research Jury has announced the winning projects for this year’s edition!
Research Grants:
- Team led by Gonzalo Solís from Hospital La Paz for the project “Dilemas éticos y consejo perinatal en recién nacidos prematuros en el límite de la viabilidad”.
- Aitana Juan from Universitat Ramon Llull for the project “Reforçament d'un enfocament centrat en els participants i les comunitats per als assajos clínics vacunals implementats a l'Àfrica Sub-Sahariana”.
- Adrián Villalba, Anna Smajdor and Daniela Cutas from Universidad de Granada for the project “ADN sintÉtico: Un análisis anticipatorio en reproducción asistida”.
- Francesca Tassinari from Universidad del País Vasco for the project “Aproximación ético-jurídica al tratamiento de datos de salud inmigrantes y refugiados para fines de salud pública en la UE”.
- Team led by Laura Fernández from Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia por el proyecto “Prevalencia de edadismo en profesionales sanitarios en un hospital terciario. Propuesta y puesta en marcha de una intervención para disminuir los prejuicios, actitudes y discriminación hacia las personas mayores”.
- Team led by Guillermo Lazcoz from Instituto de Investigación Santiaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz for the project “HALLAZGEN”.
Secondary school prizes:
- First prize for "La bioètica en els casos de nadons medicament a Catalunya" by Cora Camacho from Institut Vila de Gràcia.
- Second prize for "La bioètica com a eina de defensa per afrontar la realitat emergent" by Francisco Gómez from IES s'Agulla de Blanes.
- Third prize for "Entre gens i ètica: el CRISPR en la societat actual" by Aina de la Iglesia from Col·legi La Presentació d’Arenys de Mar.
Audiovisual Award:
- The project “Madre B” by Gerard Gil, produced by Gema Arquero from Debut Films S.L.
- The jury also decided to award a special mention to the project “Local Moral Worlds” by Farid Bin Masood from the Centre of Biomedical Ethics & Culture (CBEC) at SIUT (Pakistan).
A total of 39 scholarship applications, 151 audiovisual projects and 14 secondary school projects were received. The jury extends its gratitude to all those who submitted projects and warmly invites them to join future editions.
The foundation has been elected to the executive board for the next 4 years
(English version available soon)
La Fundació Víctor Grífols i Lucas ha estat recentment seleccionada per formar part del consell de l’European Association of Centres of Medical Ethics (EACME) durant els propers 4 anys. Aquesta distinció reconeix el compromís de la nostra institució amb l’ètica mèdica, la bioètica i la nostra contribució en aquests camps.
Fa gairebé deu anys que formem part de l’EACME, una organització fundada el 1986 que reuneix centres d’ètica mèdica de tot Europa. L’EACME es dedica a promoure l’ètica mèdica a través de la recerca, l’educació i la col·laboració entre centres. Durant aquest temps, hem treballat conjuntament en nombrosos projectes que han contribuït a millorar els estàndards ètics en la pràctica mèdica i a fomentar el debat sobre qüestions ètiques emergents en el camp de la salut.
The Ethics and Science Awards is now accepting applications. These awards aim to recognise projects that promote ethical debate on scientific and social issues across all levels of education, including primary, secondary, baccalaureate, special education and vocational training.
We are looking for projects that integrate ethics into science, research, the environment, health and society. The top projects will be awarded prizes of €5,000, €2,500 and €1,000.
What kinds of projects are eligible?
These can include service-learning projects or cross-school initiatives covering a wide range of topics such as aging, vaccination, the role of science, artificial intelligence, elder care, biodiversity, the environment, human rights, and more. You can find inspiration from past winners on the awards webpage.
You have until 30 November to submit your application.
On the heels of our 2nd International Bioethics Conference, we have published “Horizontes de la bioética” (Horizons in Bioethics) edited by Núria Terribas and Ester Busquets and published by Herder. Against the current backdrop marked by scientific and technological development, a solid foundation in bioethics is crucial, serving as a guiding light toward a future where the sciences and humanities converge. The publication features the contributions of various authors who reflect on the impact of biotechnologies, the challenges in bioethics education, the application of ethics during the pandemic, and the taboos surrounding death in contexts such as transhumanism and euthanasia.
Another title, this time in collaboration with the Minerva Collective, called “Qué políticas para qué cuidados. Ética del cuidado, justicia, retos y controversias en la acción” (Which politics for what type of care: the ethics of care, justice, challenges and controversial action) is also set to be released soon. This book provides resources from the latest seminar featuring Joan Tronto. At this event, attendees explored the question “What is good care?” in hopes of improving future care policies. The seminar examined the circumstances that hinder the provision of proper care, offering an ethically sensitive perspective that will help us understand care needs and ensure better policies for a more just society where people receive better care
In order to broaden the scope of our monograph, “Donación de plasma y altruismo: revisando conceptos”, published for the seminar on the ethics of plasma donation, it has been translated into English under the title “Plasma donation and altruism: reviewing concepts”. Amidst the ongoing review at the European level of regulations introducing “compensation” for donors, this issue examines the topic from the perspective of administrators, patients, donors, blood bank managers, and industry representatives.
All of these titles will soon be available in our collection of books. Meanwhile, click here to consult our previously published titles.
Our collaboration with the first edition of the “Shh. Let's not talk about death” Festival
The Care Lab, the Palliative Care Association of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, and the Víctor Grífols i Lucas Foundation have joined forces to organize the first annual Festival of Life at the End of Life, which will be held in Barcelona in May.
The festival program will feature various cultural outreach and awareness activities designed to destigmatize and challenge taboos surrounding discussions on death, grief, and the final stages of life:
- (8/05) Inaugural session: Let’s talk about death through books
- (9/05) Film & Discussion on the end of life: The Barbarian Invasions
- (16/05) Film & Discussion on the end of life: The Son’s Room
- (22/05) Main session: Let’s talk about Life at the End of Life
Explore the full schedule of events and register for your spot here.
Mamífera” and “Mi sextorsión” films premiére
Two recipients of our Bioethics Audiovisual Award are coming to the big screen. The first film, “Mamífera” (She-Mammal), directed by Liliana Torres, is set to première in Barcelona on April 25, and the second film, titled “Diario de mi sextorsión” (Diary of my sextorsion), by Patrícia Franquesa, will be featured in the lineup as part of the Barcelona Docs festival in May.
“Mamífera”, recipient of the 2022 Audiovisual Award, tells the story of a couple facing an unplanned pregnancy. The film explores the myriad social factors surrounding motherhood, advocating for the right to choose not to become a parent.
Meanwhile, “Diario de mi sextorsión”, winner of the 2020 Audiovisual Award, explores the director’s personal experience with extortion. The film documents the aftermath of the theft of her laptop, which led to the circulation of intimate photos among her contacts. The film challenged the illusion of security surrounding our personal data and explores the vulnerability we often overlook.
Our Audiovisual Bioethics Awards are bestowed annually, recognizing films in the developmental stage that explore themes related to bioethics. This often serves as the initial step towards securing funding and commencing production. Some projects may take two or three years to come to fruition, while others never materialize due to insufficient support or funding. This makes it particularly significant in this case, as two of the awarded projects are now coming to the big screen.
Other recipients of these awards include “Bailar la locura” (Dancing madness, awarded in 2019) and “Ponto Final” (2021 special mention).
The call for abstracts for bioethics awards and grants wil be open until 31 May. You can register online and submit projects via our website.
The Awards Jury has announced this edition’s winning projects
This year’s winning entries are:
- First Prize, worth 5,000 euros, for “Apocalipsis digital” (Digital Apocalypse), a project submitted by the Institut Vapor del Fil, Barcelona.
- Second Prize, worth 2,500 euros, for “L'intercanvi blau” (The Blue Exchange), a project submitted by the Institut Escola La Tordera, Santa Maria de Palautordera (Barcelona).
- Third Prize, worth 1,000 euros, for “Recuperació de l’escarola perruqueta” (Recovery of Local Escarole), a project submitted by the Escola La Parellada, Santa Oliva (Tarragona).
Congratulations to the winning schools and heartfelt gratitude to all who submitted their entries to this edition.
These activities mark the kickoff of our events for the year:
• Course entitled “On Birth and Dying” in collaboration with the Ateneu Barcelonès on ethical issues in science (7 February to 3 April).
• Film and discussion to encourage bioethical thought among high school students, in collaboration with the Americana Film Fest and the Department of Education of the Generalitat of Catalonia (6-7 March) .
• Online introductory bioethics course: the goal of this course is to provide the tools to identify and analyse ethical conflicts in professional practice. In collaboration with UVIC-UCC.
• A new edition of the cycle “Spaces for reflection”, organised in collaboration with Amics per a Unesco of Barcelona (Friends of the Unesco, Barcelona) for the discussion of human rights issues.
Stay tuned for updates with more details about the topics to be covered, along with the dates and times for these events.
New book published in collaboration with the Fundació Grífols Chair in Bioethics
Routledge has just published "Bioethics: Foundations, Applications and Future Challenges", a book centred on bioethics from three perspectives: its foundations, the current debate in healthcare bioethics, and the future challenges of this discipline.
This book features contributions from leading experts in bioethics and regular contributors to the Víctor Grífols i Lucas Foundation such as Lydia Feito, Màrius Morlans, Begoña Román, Salvador Macip, Chris Willmott, Juan Pablo Beca and Marc Antoni Broggi.
Josep Eladi Baños (Dean of the UVIC-UCC) participates as editor, along with experts from the Fundació Grífols Chair in Bioethics: Núria Terribas (Director), Ester Busquets (Coordinating Editor) and Irene Cambra (Researcher).
Geared towards students and professionals working in fields related to health sciences, philosophy, psychology, and education, this book caters to both newcomers seeking an introduction to bioethics and those with a keen interest in delving into the latest topics in the field.
The Bioethics Awards and Grant research Jury has announced the winning projects for this year’s edition
Research Grants
- The team led by Carme Isern from the Universitat de les Illes Balears for its project entitled “Las bases cognitivas de la injusticia epistémica en la atención sanitaria” [The cognitive basis of epistemic injustice in healthcare].
- The team led by Sara Domènech from the Fundació Salut i Envelliment of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona [Foundation for Health and Ageing UAB] for its project “Aspectos jurídicos y éticos de la aplicabilidad del robot Pepper en la interacción con personas mayores en el ámbito residencial: un estudio piloto” [The legal and ethical implications of the use of the Pepper robot in interactions with elderly persons in residential care: a pilot study].
- The team led by Laura Esteve from the Pompeu Fabra University for its project “Los derechos de las mujeres gestantes: entre expectativa y realidad: Un estudio jurídico sobre violencia obstétrica” [Expectations, reality and the rights of pregnant women: A legal study on obstetric violence].
- Marcos Alonso from the Complutense University of Madrid for his project “Cuidados e indentidad personal. La importancia de la atención a la identidad personal en los cuidados” [Care and personal identity: The importance of personal identity in care].
- The team led by Mónica Fernández from the Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute for its project “Proyecto SINHOPAL-3S. Barreras y facilitadores al acceso a cuidados paliativos en las personas sin hogar: la visión de los profesionales del tercer sector social” [The SINHOPAL-3S Project. Barriers and facilitators in access to palliative care for the homeless: insights from third sector professionals].
- The team led by Guillermo García from the Autonomous University of Barcelona for its project “Neurociencia, filosofía y educación; Un encuentro para que pacientes con lesiones neurológicas dialoguen sobre la enfermedad con científicos en formación” [Neuroscience, philosophy and education: an opportunity for patients with neurological injuries to discuss their disorders with scientists in training].
Secondary school prizes
- First prize for “A tocar d'un món feliç” [Almost a Brave New World] by Júlia Fontserè from La Salle Manlleu.
- Second prize for “Un bon metge o un metge bo?” [A good doctor or a doctor (who is a good person)?] by Anna Bellavista from the Escola Pia in Granollers.
- Third prize for “Bioètica i reproducció humana. Reescrivint el genoma” [Bioethics and human reproduction: rewriting the genome] by Laia Chillarón from the Escola Maristes Anna Ravell.
Audiovisual Award
- The film “El Tribunal” [The Board] by Carmen García Tortosa, produced by Barrios Producciones and Gadol Producciones.
A total of 34 scholarship applications, 146 audiovisual projects and 13 secondary school projects were received. The jury extends its gratitude to all those who submitted projects and warmly invites them to join future editions.
Diari Ara newspaper in conversation with foundation director on surrogate maternity, euthanasia, and advance directives
Watch an insightful interview with Núria Terribas as she discusses topics of current relevance in bioethics, including surrogate maternity, a subject that captured widespread attention in light of the recent case involving Spanish celebrity Ana Obregón. As member of the Euthanasia Assurance and Evaluation Committee, Terribas provides valuable information about the process and its application. Finally, she reflects on the management of the pandemic three years on.