Bioethics is the discipline that examines the ethical issues arising in different areas of health, including public health, health care, and health research. Its purpose is to guide decision-making through ethical principles and criteria that protect the dignity, rights, and well-being of individuals and communities.
In the Region of the Americas, PAHO promotes the integration of bioethics into health policies, programs, and actions to strengthen fairer, more responsible, and socially accountable health systems
- Bioethics is a cross-cutting pillar of public health, health care, and health research.
- Bioethics examines what ought to be done in health-related situations, beyond what is legally required.
- It contributes to the protection of individuals in health care and knowledge generation.
- It provides ethical frameworks for public health decision-making, particularly in contexts of scarcity and resource prioritization.
- It helps anticipate and address dilemmas linked to new technologies, health emergencies, and complex decisions.
- Integrating bioethics strengthens transparency, accountability, and public trust in health decisions.
Through its Regional Bioethics Program, PAHO supports Member States in integrating ethics into all health-related activities. The Program promotes a demand-driven, translational bioethics approach, with a focus on public health ethics and research ethics.
Research ethics is the set of principles, norms, and values that guide the conduct of those who carry out research, with the aim of ensuring respect for individuals, scientific integrity, and social responsibility. Public health ethics is the branch of ethics that guides decisions, policies, and actions aimed at protecting and improving the health of populations, balancing collective well-being with individual rights. Both are complementary: ethical research generates reliable evidence, while public health ethics guides how to use that evidence to improve population health in a fair way.
PAHO’s actions include the development of technical guidance, the strengthening of institutional capacities, the promotion of regional networks, and support for ethical deliberation processes that help ensure that research is always ethical and that health decision-making has a positive impact on populations.
