Ethics and Politics – Who Decides What Is Right?

At a time when medical progress and technological innovations are increasingly shaping our everyday lives, politics and society face complex ethical challenges. Whether it is the fair distribution of vaccines, the responsible use of digital health apps, or the application of personalized genetic tests—ethical considerations are crucial in determining how political decisions are made and what impact they have on our daily lives.

We are very pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Alena Buyx to address these central questions on Thursday, 12 February 2026, at 5:30 pm at the Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe.

Prof. Dr. Alena Buyx is Professor of Ethics in Medicine and Health Technologies at the Technical University of Munich, where she also leads the Institute for the History and Ethics of Medicine. From 2016 to 2024, she was a member of the German Ethics Council, serving as its chair from 2020 until April 2024. Since 2024, she has been a member of the German Federal Government’s Expert Council on Health and Resilience and participates in several national and international committees.

Together with you and Prof. Dr. Alena Buyx, we will discuss the following and other questions: What role do ethical considerations play in political decision-making? How do ethical institutions such as the German Ethics Council influence political processes? How can we make ethically sound decisions regarding technologies that shape our daily lives? What responsibilities do we have in handling biotechnological innovations? What challenges arise at the intersection of science, ethical reflection, and politics? And how can we design fair health systems in the first place?

We very much look forward to your participation and kindly ask for a binding registration by 11 February 2026.