Collection: President’s Council on Bioethics Records | Georgetown University Archival Resources

The collection contains the records of the President's Council on Bioethics (PCBE). It includes meeting briefing books and two unpublished reports. Some meetings include additional documents, such as correspondence and presentation slides.

The collection is missing briefing books from the following meetings: 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9, 12-17, and 19.

The PCBE's website is included as part of this collection. The website contains meeting agendas, transcripts, reports, background materials, and materials related to previous U.S. bioethics commissions. The site does not include information on the PCBE's final meeting.

Dates

2001 - 2009

Creator

President's Council on Bioethics (U.S.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers are solely responsible for determining the copyright status of the materials being used, establishing who the copyright owner is, locating the copyright owner, and obtaining permission for intended use.

Extent

1.75 Cubic Feet (in one record carton, one manuscript box, and four folders)

Additional Description

Overview

The collection contains the records of the President's Council on Bioethics (PCBE) dating from 2001 to 2009. It includes meeting briefing books and an unpublished draft of a report titled Organ Transplantation: An Ethical Inquiry by the President's Council on Bioethics (June 2009). The PCBE's website is included as part of this collection. The website includes meeting agendas, transcripts, reports, background materials, and materials related to previous U.S. bioethics commissions. The site does not include information on the PCBE's final meeting.

Historical Note

President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Bioethics (PCBE) by executive order on November 28, 2001. According to that order, the Council's mission was to, "advise the President on bioethical issues that may emerge as a consequence of advances in biomedical science and technology." The PCBE held 37 meetings from January 2002 through June 2009. They published ten reports on bioethical issues over this time. The Council was chaired by Leon R. Kass from 2001-2005 and by Edmund D. Pellegrino from 2005-2009.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Briefing books dating from April 2002 to March 2005 were collected by the Bioethics Research Library. The remaining briefing books were transferred to the BRL Archives by Marti Patchell, Executive Assistant to Edmund D. Pellegrino.

Related Materials

Publications of the PCBE are available on the archived website and DigitalGeorgetown.

BRL Archives also holds the papers of Edmund D. Pellegrino (BRL-007), which includes correspondence received while chairing the PCBE.