Series 1: Correspondence, 1974 - 2009

The Correspondence series contains portions of EDP's incoming and outgoing correspondence dating from 1974 to 2009. The series is mostly comprised of material created while he was employed at Georgetown University. One sub-series contains correspondence from his tenure as Chair of the President’s Council on Bioethics from 2005 to 2009. A very limited amount of material predates his time at Georgetown University.

A number of bioethical issues are addressed throughout the series, including abortion, euthanasia, physician assisted executions, and managed care.

Correspondents of note include: H. Tristram Englehardt, Jr. (multiple folders, he was the Editor of The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy while EDP was the Chair of its editorial board); John J. DeGioia (GU President, correspondence regarding AIDS education at GU); John Greenbaum (dealing with budget problems for KIE when EDP becomes director); Timothy Healy (GU President, KIE funding, issues with Shrivers, CSIS-self study, in vitro fertilization stance, enrollment of Black and Hispanic students, proposing what would become the PCCB; George R. Houston (GU VP for Financial Affairs and Treasurer, KIE finances); Matthew F. McNulty (GU Medical Center Chancellor, Shriver/funding issues); Charles Meng (GU VP for Administration and Facilities, building/infrastructure issues); David Pearle (GU Chief-Cardiology Division, EDP comments on new DNR policy); Mason Gordon Robinson (extensive correspondence on ethical issues, particularly moral relativism); K.N. Siva Subramanian (GU Medical Center, AIDS policy, Ethics Committee); Kay Toombs (extensive correspondence regarding her thesis work); David A. Thomasma (long-time collaborator and co-author, he was the editor of Theoretical Medicine and EDP was on the editorial board--see also Bibliographic/Writing Files Series); and Robert M. Veatch (KIE Director following EDP, comments on visiting fellows program, correspondence regarding death and dying).