In this talk, Tom will explore the development of medical research ethics from World War 2 to the present day, considering how our current practices and standards have developed. He will look at historic examples, the development of current codes of practice and possible future developments. He will then consider whether an objective moral standard exists, or whether everything should be considered relative to its time, place, and societal context. If an objective moral standard does exist, is the Bible a comprehensive source?

About Tom: In the 13 years since leaving university, Tom has worked with multiple systems of ethical and governance review both in the UK and around the world, and seen different application of processes and standards, as well as lead the development of UK NHS research governance standards. This includes working in medical research (UK NHS Research Ethics Committees (RECs), NHS research governance and, more recently, in the pharmaceutical industry responsible for global regulatory submission).

He came to faith through his family, and since getting married in 2015, has started to explore his faith in more depth. He finds the interaction between faith, morality and ethics fascinating, particularly in a research context, and hopes to share some of that interest with the audience.

In his spare time he enjoys chess, badminton, walking and playing games with his lovely little boy, Benji, now 4, who has far more energy than he does!