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v F R O M T H E E D I T O R Asian Bioethics: Bioethics in Asia Is there an Asian bioethics? The debate continues in this inaugural issue of the Asian Bioethics Review. While disagreement persists about the way this question ought to be answered, much of the disagreement vanishes when we unpack the details of answers that have been given. Many will say, “Yes, there is an Asian bioethics” but differ about what it is. The Asian Bioethics Review has been established on the premise that there is much to be gained by focusing on what is Asian in the field of bioethics, while recognising that identifying what makes the region’s bioethics Asian is an ongoing task. It has been difficult to say what is uniquely or exclusively Asian about Asian bioethics. It is much easier to identify features or characteristics of bioethics in the region, though these may not necessarily be unique to Asia. In a way, this issue of the journal transcends the debate and moves on. One of the first things that come to mind when talking about Asia is the huge size of the population. Though only one of the world’s seven continents, Asia accounts for approximately 55% of the total global population. Five of the seven biggest countries in terms of population size are found in the region. The sheer size of the Asian population has given rise to some of the most notable issues in the field of bioethics. It engenders an approach that gives as much emphasis to public health concerns as it does to issues that primarily involve the individual. One offshoot is a close affinity of what goes on in bioethics in Asia with what has come to be known as public health bioethics. This is not to say that in the Asian setting, individual concerns have not been given enough prominence. In many settings, individual decision-making appears to be accorded substantial respect, notwithstanding the reputed communitarian character of Asian bioethics thought. The individual has been given a lot of importance, though arguably not to the same degree as elsewhere. There is perhaps no better proof of the value given to the individual than the tension Asian Bioethics Review December 2008 inaugural edition v–viii vi that often springs to the surface between the interests of the community and individual interests in specific bioethical discourse. The tension would not be there if the family and the community are always conceded to take precedence over the individual. The combination of rapid economic growth and extreme poverty is noticeable in many parts of the region. In this context, many bioethical issues take on a different significance. The economic problems suggest a bioethical approach that is sensitive to social justice and social responsibility. Specific illustrations may be found in the conduct of international research in economically disadvantaged communities; and the huge populations in disadvantaged communities constitute very tempting prospects for use as human subjects in biomedical research. As the trend continues, one may expect continuing coverage of issues in international research coupled with discussions concerning the promotion of equitable access to the fruits of advances in biotechnology. As biotechnological research moves quickly forward, the tension between bioethics, research integrity and scientific advancement becomes more pronounced. Developments in the region relating to stem cell research and related issues, such as the procurement of eggs, provide a good illustration. It remains to be seen how the psyche of scientists in the region has been affected by such developments and there are bound to be more references to similar events as bioethics in Asia develops further. It is also possible to characterise Asian bioethics as being spiritually rich. Spirituality need not be taken to mean religiousness of the kind involving a belief in a reified personal God and adherence to theological dogmas — although citing Scriptures may be within the range of interpretations of how the spirituality of Asian bioethics may be understood. Spirituality may be seen in a valuedimension that often transcends empirical observation and verification — albeit manifested in a way of life characterised by, among other things, reverence for different forms of life, appreciation of the universe, empathy towards...

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