New ethics group starts: Focus on the future of medicine!

New ethics group starts: Focus on the future of medicine!

On April 8, 2025, a new Integrated Working Group (IAG) entitled “Ethics and History of Medicine” was launched at the Brandenburg Medical School (MHB). This step reflects the university's vision of promoting interdisciplinary connections between research and practical application in the medical field. According to information from the MHB, the goal of the IAG is to quickly transfer research results into clinical care and to particularly involve young scientists. The new working group joins a network of almost 20 other interdisciplinary working groups that work across locations to improve patient care and intensively investigate clinical issues.

The IAG “Ethics and History of Medicine” is initially dealing with three main goals: the establishment of a clinical ethics committee (KEK) at the Ruppin-Brandenburg University Hospital (ukrb), the integration of ethical and historical topics into the teaching of the MHB and the promotion of interdisciplinary exchange on ethical challenges. The latter is to be achieved, among other things, through a planned ethics café, which will provide space for the discussion of ethically problematic decision-making processes in everyday clinical practice. Interested parties from university hospitals in the network and other academic institutions are invited to take part.

Goals and strategies of the IAG

The working group is led by Magdalena Ruppert, a research assistant in medical didactics, and Prof. Dr. Andreas Jüttemann from the Institute for Anatomy and Medical History. 26 participants were already present at the first IAG meeting, and the interest of other students and hospital employees shows the relevance of the topics. The most important topics include the use of artificial intelligence, the commercialization of medicine and better networking between training and clinical practice.

Particular attention is also paid to integrating proven teaching content from the health sciences into the medical curriculum. In this context, case studies on historical medical errors and ethical dilemmas are planned. Involving students in the practical teaching of ethical issues plays a central role, for example through problem-oriented learning (PBL).

Ethical discourses in medicine

With the founding of the IAG, the MHB has also positioned itself as part of a broader discourse that takes place both within and outside the medical community. The Academy for Ethics in Medicine e. V. (AEM) is an interdisciplinary professional society dedicated to promoting public and scientific discourse on ethical issues in medicine and healthcare. The AEM offers platforms such as conferences and symposiums as well as the magazine “Ethics in Medicine”, which serves as an ongoing forum for discussing these topics. With over 1,000 members since its founding in 1986, the AEM has played a central role in the qualification of people in clinical ethics consultation and also serves as an information point for German specialist literature on ethics in medicine.

On its way, the IAG “Ethics and History of Medicine” not only found the support of a member of the Federal Ministry of Health, but also the interest of the neurosurgical department of the ukrb in taking part in reflecting on medical ethical issues using concrete clinical case studies. This shows that the working group's topics not only have academic relevance, but also direct impact on clinical practice and patients' quality of life.

The MHB is convinced that interdisciplinary exchange on ethical issues is not only important but essential for the further development of medical care. The active involvement of all interested parties in the work of the IAG promises to further advance and sustainably influence the discourse on medical ethical challenges. Information about the activities and membership in the IAG can be found on the MHB website and the Academy of Ethics in Medicine available.