Members of the newly established Emerging Science and Bioethics Advisory Committee (ESBAC) have been confirmed and will take up post immediately.
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Advisor, Department of Health said:
“I am delighted by the wealth and breadth of expertise that the members will bring to the committee. The Department will benefit enormously from the exciting discussions and challenges of this group.”
The newly confirmed members are:
- Professor Sir Alasdair Breckenridge, Chair
- Dr Dipti Amin (Quintiles)
- Professor Andrew Baker (Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow)
- Dr Paula Boddington (Somerville College, University of Oxford)
- Ms Madeleine Colvin (Associate Tenant at Doughty Street Chambers)
- Professor Bobbie Farsides(Brighton and Sussex Medical School)
- Mr Julian Hitchcock(Life Science Legal Practice, Lawford Davies Denoon)
- Dr Stuart Hogarth (Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, King’s College London)
- Professor Nicholas Lemoine (Barts Cancer Institute)
- Professor Peter Littlejohns (Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College London)
- Professor Duncan McHale (UCB)
- Dr Jonathan Mill (Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London and the University of Exeter)
- Mr James Peach (Cancer Research UK)
- Dr Neil James Scolding (University of Bristol and Frenchay Hospital Bristol)
- Dr Bella Starling (Nowgen)
- Professor Joyce Tait (Economic and Social Research Innogen Centre, University of Edinburgh)
- Mr David Townend (Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University)
In addition, the following members were nominated by their organisations as ex-officio members:
- Dr John Brown (Technology Strategy Board)
- Professor Angus Clarke (Wales Chief Medical Officer Representative)
- Ms Katherine Littler (Wellcome Trust)
- Dr Julie Maxton (The Royal Society)
- Dr Michael McBride (Northern Ireland Chief Medical Officer)
- Professor Andrew Morris (Scotland Chief Medical Officer Representative)
- Dr Rachel Quinn (Academy of Medical Sciences)
- Professor Sir John Savill (Medical Research Council)
- Ms Diana Sternfeld (BioIndustry Association)
- Mr Stephen Whitehead (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry)
- Mr Hugh Whittall (Nuffield Council on Bioethics)
The committee will be responsible for providing advice to UK Health Departments on emerging healthcare scientific developments and their ethical, legal, social and economic implications.
Sir Alasdair Breckenridge, newly appointed Chair of the committee said:
“I look forward to the great opportunity of working with a distinguished group of professionals in this most important area.”
The appointments are for 2 years and for a time commitment of approximately 3 committee meetings a year.