The Ethics of Biomedical Enhancement Research

Biomedical enhancement interventions require a departure from the justificatory routes typically available to biomedical research, focusing on making individuals “better than normal” instead of treating those who are impacted by illness and disease. Discussion of the ethical implications of such interventions has primarily been done in bioethics and political philosophy, but the questions concerning the ethical practice of enhancement are substantially different than those concerning the research. This thesis will focus on the ethical questions pertinent to biomedical enhancement research, including an examination of the arguments from enhancement opponents as applied to research ethics and an assessment of the values promoted through such research. Furthermore, it shall attempt to elucidate the values motivating biomedical enhancement research so as to better recognize the justifications behind exposing trial participants to health risks and to develop a strategy for mitigating practical problems linked to prioritization in enhancement and treatment research.