Update: Debate event on human enhancement

15 March 2006

An event co-organised by the Wellcome Trust and the independent think-tank Demos generated debate on the potential and perils of human enhancement.

Medical advances aim to help those whose health is impaired, but increasingly they may be adopted by the healthy in search of improvement. Drugs to aid cognitive function in people with Alzheimer’s disease, for example, could also be used to improve normal memory. And many people are excited about the prospect of significantly extended lifespans.

The evening event heard from a range of speakers, including Aubrey de Grey (a provocative supporter of extended-lifespan research), neuroscientist Daniel Glaser and anthropologist Sarah Franklin, who spoke on prenatal diagnosis and the 'designer baby' debate. After short presentations, the audience had a chance to comment and raise issues with the panellists.

The event also saw the launch of a collection of essays on human enhancement, Better Humans? The politics of enhancement and life extension, published by Demos. It is available for free download.