The ethics of embryo research and assisted conception are often debated. Yet there is little reflection about how and why different groups think about ‘embryo ethics’. The focus upon informed consent is important, but perhaps it overwhelms other legitimate concerns about the public interest. Too little attention is devoted to analysing professional scientists and clinicians’ sense of ethics and roles in ethical decision making. How can social scientists, bioethicists and practioners work together to develop our understanding of these issues and make a meaningful contribution to policy making in this area? These issues were explored at a recent meeting of philosophers, bioethicists, sociologists, historians, biologists and clinical embryologists. It was organised as part of Anne Kerr and Henry Leese’s ESRC Science in Society project entitled ‘Doing Embryo Ethics’ and took place at the University of York on the 20th December 2005.

10.30 – 11.00 Arrival and registration

11.00 – 11.15 Introductions

11.15 – 12.15 Session 1: Exploring different perspectives on ethics and social science

Ethical principles in assisted conception – Tom Baldwin

Do the social sciences need bioethics? – Richard Ashcroft

12.15 – 1.15 Lunch Kasbah

1.15 – 2.45 Session 2: Practical ethics

Scientists’ perspectives on embryo/stem cell ethics – Clare Williams

Ethics and human embryo research – Daniel Bryson

Patients’ perspectives on embryo donation – Sarah Parry

2.45 – 3.00 Break

3.00 – 4.30 Session 3: Public Ethics

Bureaucracy and ethics in assisted conception – Anne Kerr

Demography and assisted conception – Naomi Pfeffer

A professional perspective – Henry Leese

4.30 – 5.00 Concluding remarks

Towards interdisciplinarity? Ethics in context – Andrew Webster