Bioethics

RAND explores the ethical, legal, and social implications of advances in medicine, biotechnology, and health policy. By analyzing complex issues such as patient rights, research ethics, and public health decisionmaking, RAND provides guidance to policymakers, health care professionals, and organizations navigating ethical challenges in health and science.

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Commentary

Aug 31, 2026

Mirror Life Is Theoretical. The Danger Is Anything But.

With mirror life, scientists have given world leaders both the foresight and the time to address the danger. What's needed isn't alarm but action to ensure that mirror life remains just a footnote in human history—and not its final chapter.
Expert Insights

Aug 18, 2026

Mirror Biology Research: Implications for Operational Governance

The most pressing deficit in the mirror biology research landscape is the gap between its recognition as a governance challenge and the absence of a concerted effort to govern it; the authors develop a preliminary framework to close this gap.
Research

Jul 31, 2026

A U.S. Strategy to Prevent the Creation of Mirror Life

The authors of this report describe a strategy for the United States to prevent the creation of mirror life by anyone, anywhere.
Research

Feb 6, 2026

Position: Human Baselines in Model Evaluations Need Rigor and Transparency: (With Recommendations & Reporting Checklist)

We argue that human baselines in foundation model evaluations must be more rigorous and more transparent to enable meaningful comparisons of human vs. AI performance, and we provide recommendations and a reporting checklist towards this end.
Research

Jan 21, 2026

Prioritizing Feasible and Impactful Actions to Enable Secure AI Development and Use in Biology

This paper provides policy and technology strategies collected from a diverse range of sources placed in the context of an organizing framework aligned with steps in the AI-enabled creation of a biothreat.
Research

Oct 30, 2025

"Who Are You Going to Call?": Research Ethics Consultation Directors' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators

This study aimed to identify key barriers and facilitators affecting the success of research ethics consultation services, particularly in light of changes in funding and institutional support.
Expert Insights

Feb 3, 2025

AI Could Pose Pandemic-Scale Biosecurity Risks: Here's How to Make It Safer

AI-enabled research might cause immense harm if it is used to design pathogens with worrying new properties. To prevent this, we need better collaboration between governments, AI developers and experts in biosafety and biosecurity.
Research

Jan 30, 2025

Consent and Assent in Pediatric Research

This chapter describes ethical issues and regulatory requirements for assent in pediatric populations.
Research

Jan 29, 2025

Factors Affecting Couples' Decision Making About Expanded Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening

Partners within couples were independently asked about willingness to seek prenatal cell-free DNA screening for diseases and traits that varied by severity, treatability, age of onset, and reliability.
Research

Nov 8, 2023

Playing God? Media Coverage of CRISPR in the United States

Review of online and television news sources in the United States determined that coverage of CRISPR remained ambiguous and infrequent, indicating media have not established the salience of CRISPR to a degree that engages the public or policymakers.
Article

Feb 28, 2023

RAND President and CEO Presenting to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

RAND President and CEO Jason Matheny appeared on February 28, 2023, before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. His remarks covered advances in synthetic biology and artificial intelligence and their potential impact on national security.
Commentary

Jan 30, 2023

The Confluence of Brain and Machine May Require Multi-Sectoral Regulation to Maximise Its Gains

As the commercialization of brain-computer interfaces expands, it would be prudent for international policymakers to consider how this technology should be regulated, in order to reap its benefits and minimize its risks.

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Bioethics

Bioethics

Related Topics

Mirror Life Could Be Catastrophic. Here's How to Prevent It

Machine Learning and Gene Editing at the Helm of a Societal Evolution

Explore RAND’s Work on this Topic

Error

Mirror Life Is Theoretical. The Danger Is Anything But.

Mirror Biology Research: Implications for Operational Governance

A U.S. Strategy to Prevent the Creation of Mirror Life

Position: Human Baselines in Model Evaluations Need Rigor and Transparency: (With Recommendations & Reporting Checklist)

Prioritizing Feasible and Impactful Actions to Enable Secure AI Development and Use in Biology

"Who Are You Going to Call?": Research Ethics Consultation Directors' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators

AI Could Pose Pandemic-Scale Biosecurity Risks: Here's How to Make It Safer

Consent and Assent in Pediatric Research

Factors Affecting Couples' Decision Making About Expanded Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening

Playing God? Media Coverage of CRISPR in the United States

RAND President and CEO Presenting to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

The Confluence of Brain and Machine May Require Multi-Sectoral Regulation to Maximise Its Gains

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Bioethics

Bioethics

Related Topics

Mirror Life Could Be Catastrophic. Here's How to Prevent It

Machine Learning and Gene Editing at the Helm of a Societal Evolution

Explore RAND’s Work on this Topic

Error

Mirror Life Is Theoretical. The Danger Is Anything But.

Mirror Biology Research: Implications for Operational Governance

A U.S. Strategy to Prevent the Creation of Mirror Life

Position: Human Baselines in Model Evaluations Need Rigor and Transparency: (With Recommendations & Reporting Checklist)

Prioritizing Feasible and Impactful Actions to Enable Secure AI Development and Use in Biology

"Who Are You Going to Call?": Research Ethics Consultation Directors' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators

AI Could Pose Pandemic-Scale Biosecurity Risks: Here's How to Make It Safer

Consent and Assent in Pediatric Research

Factors Affecting Couples' Decision Making About Expanded Prenatal Cell-Free DNA Screening

Playing God? Media Coverage of CRISPR in the United States

RAND President and CEO Presenting to House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

The Confluence of Brain and Machine May Require Multi-Sectoral Regulation to Maximise Its Gains

Oops! An unexpected error has occurred.