Centers

This month the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health at the Mailman School of Public Health received an official designation as a World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Bioethics. It is the only such center that explicitly focuses on the ethics of public health. The designation was based upon the Center’s collaborative work, the promise of future collaboration, and a thorough vetting process on the part of both WHO and the Pan American Health Organization.

The Center is only the second collaborating center in the U.S. and one of just six worldwide. The others are in Toronto, Miami, Paris, Canberra, and Zurich.

Named as co-directors of the Center are Professors Ronald Bayer, PhD, and Amy Fairchild, PhD, who is also chair of the Department of Sociomedical Sciences. Both currently serve as co-directors of the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health.

“We believe that this selection represents a recognition of the unique path the Center has charted in examining issues beyond the scope of traditional bioethics,” said Dr. Bayer. “More importantly, it shows that the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization recognize that the reexamination of ethical issues and challenges posed by public health is essential for sound and effective policy.”

The Mailman School will host an inaugural event with representatives from all of the collaborating centers and WHO in June 2011. The Center will receive a WHO flag as part of the ceremony.

December 14, 2011